


We can live just like this

by etlillium



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F, Roommates, Slow Burn, roommate au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-17
Updated: 2020-06-17
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:47:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 25,848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24775606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/etlillium/pseuds/etlillium
Summary: When Kara moves in with Lena, she doesn't know what she's signing up for, except that its a cheap apartment, a great place, and this Lena woman has an amazing smile.When Lena decides to have Kara move in with her, its because she needs a friend, she needs someone to fill the silence.
Relationships: Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor
Comments: 17
Kudos: 510





	We can live just like this

**Author's Note:**

> I've got to be honest, I haven't watched Supergirl since season 1, but lockdown does things to a lady, so now I'm just spending my days reading the fics and looking at the tag on tumblr. If anyone seems out of character its because I literally don't watch the show. 
> 
> Anyway, enjoy this!

Wanted. Roommate. $400 per month including bills.  
Spacious room with a view of the city. Semi-central.  
Please contact: LLuthor@LCorp.org for more information.

“Doesn’t that sound ideal, Alex!”

“Well sure, it sounds ideal, but it also sounds totally fake,” Alex deadpans.

Kara has been looking for a new apartment for a month. Her and her ex broke up after living together for 5 months and realising that it would never, in a million years work out for the two of them. But, as a journalist who gets paid by the word, writing articles about random celebrities she could care less about, she didn’t exactly have the funds to move out.

“So, let me move in with you,” Kara said, regardless of the fact she knows what the answer will be.

Alex looks at her honestly, “You know I would love to, but look around, my whole apartment is essentially a bed, a toilet and an oven.”

Kara knew she was right, but at this point she would take anything over living with Mike for any longer. “I know, I know. But if I can’t stay here, then I’ll have to go see this place. This ad might be stretching the truth a bit, but for $400 a month it can’t be that bad,” Kara practically pleads, even though she knows she’s going to contact this person regardless of Alex’s opinion on it.

“Fine, but only because I would rather go with you to see this place than have you go on your own,” Kara beams and reaches over to hug her sister, consequently almost falling off of her sister's bed in the process.

\---

The sheer amount of emails that Lena receives in response to her ad makes her glad that she used a separate email address. Trying to get through the responses on top of her usual L-Corp emails would have been hell.

While looking through some of the responses she considers what she’s really doing, inviting some stranger into her apartment. It was her home, where her family would come for their weekend trips to the city. Did she really want to have someone infiltrating that? But, after one last moment of reconsideration, she remembered her reasoning. Having realised the amount of time that Lena spends on her own, she decided to put an ad up for a roommate. Sure, she doesn’t need one financially, but after losing her father, brother and now her mother, she realised just how alone she really is.

As the head of a powerful company like L-Corp she knows people. Plenty of people. Rich people, who care as much about her as she cares about them. Which is to say, not at all. There’s also the people who work below her at L-Corp. There’s plenty of them too. All very pleasant, respectable and smart people who see her as pleasant, respectable and smart, they also see her as scary and intimidating. It doesn’t bode well for making friendly connections with people when they think that light-hearted conversation about their most recent projects are her interrogating them on why they haven’t succeeded yet.

So Lena decided to take it upon herself to widen her social circle. One person at a time. Starting with a roommate to fill the spare room in her inner city apartment. She may have undersold it in the ad as semi-central with a good view, but the low price and the availability clearly made it palatable for more than a few people in National City.

After having looked through all of the emails she got from very hopeful people she decided upon one friendly seeming email from ‘karaofsteel@hotmail.com’. Why anyone uses hotmail anymore, Lena will never know. Regardless, the person seemed to be a good fit, so she emailed back with a time and date arranging for an in person visit, hoping it would work for the girl on the other end, shut her laptop, and went to bed.

\---

“I’m still not sure about this, Kara,” Alex told her as they entered the building, “It just seems too good to be true.”

“I know, Alex,” Kara said, locking arms with her sister, “Neither am I, but that's why I bought you. So that if this is some crazed murderer with a coat made from puppies who smokes too much and has half and half hair, you can fend them off.”

“Did you just describe Cruella DeVille?” Alex questions, laughing.

Kara nods as she presses the button to the elevator, “Not purposefully.”

The ad wasn’t lying when it said ‘Semi-central’, this building was stuck right between Kara’s favourite coffee shop and her work, if anything it was exactly central. Which just raised questions as to why it was so cheap, but if this person wasn’t a Cruella type, she certainly wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity to live somewhere so ideal.

As the elevator took them to their floor, Kara found herself becoming more and more nervous, because she was afraid of Cruella DeVille being on the other side and having to spend even longer living with Mike.

Regardless of her worries, the elevator dinged at their floor and they stepped out into the hallway. The hallway leads to only one red door, with a plant pot on each side.

“This place is much swankier than the ad said it was,” Kara whispered just loud enough for Alex to hear, as though there was someone else in this hallway with nowhere to hide.

Kara knocked on the door, hearing some faint noises of movement and then the door unlocked, the door handle turned, and opened to reveal not Cruella DeVille, but someone quiet unlike anyone Kara’s ever seen. Kara certainly hadn’t expected a young woman not much older than herself to open the door, with long dark hair and green eyes that could kill a man. Or make a woman weak in the knees.

No one had said anything for a moment too long.

“One of you is Kara, I presume?” The woman said, with a cool, calm tone, eyes flicking between the two women questioningly.

Kara realised she didn’t answer.

“Yes! Yes, that's me,” Kara stuck out her hand to greet the woman, “It’s nice to meet you. Lena, right?”

Lena took her hand and shook, “Exactly.” Lena said, looking towards Alex expectantly.

“Oh! Sorry, this is my sister, Alex. I brought her with me just in case you were a murderer, or, you know, Cruella DeVille,” Kara said, her words tapering off at the end of the sentence as she realised what she was saying.

“It’s good to meet you, Alex.” Lena said, with that same calm voice. Kara sighed in relief that Lena hadn’t been put off by her comment, “Come on in, I’ll show you around.”

Lena stepped away from the door, opening it up enough to let the two sisters in, and shutting it behind them. The place, Kara realised, was horribly, terribly undersold. Opposite the door was a window, exposing an incredible view of the bustling city below them. As Alex and Kara walked towards it, to the left of them was the open kitchen, and to the right was an outrageously sized TV and two old, well worn chesterfield sofas opposite each other with the TV in between.

“It’s an amazing view, isn’t it?” Lena said, with a shockingly low amount of awe in her voice.

“I think it deserves a stronger word than just amazing,” Kara said with her mouth gaping.

“Did you want to look around, or just look at the view?” Lena joked easily, the sarcasm tainting her calm voice slightly.

“Come on, Kara, you’ve seen the city before,” Alex pulls her away from the window in favour of looking at the kitchen, which is just as nice as the rest of the place, with a white marble island, and giant oven that Kara couldn’t even pretend she was going to use.

Lena gave her a tour of the place, every step giving Kara more questions about the price. The apartment had hard wood floors, high ceilings, floor to ceiling windows that no one could even try to look into because they were about 17 floors off the ground. The room itself was giant as well, plenty of spaces for all of Kara’s things, and then some.

“I will admit, this is the smaller of the two rooms, but I feel like the space is sufficient, is it not?” Lena said, almost apologetically. 

“This room could fit my whole apartment into it,” Alex said in awe.

Lena broke a smile, and Kara couldn’t help but stare. Then she realised Lena was staring back and whipped her head away, busying herself with looking at the wooden bed posts instead, as though they were more interesting than the entire rest of the room she was in.

“So, you’ve seen everything, have you got any questions?” Lena asked as she led them back into the main room and onto the sofas.

Kara hesitated, not wanting to seem rude in front of the woman. Alex, on the other hand, jumped right in, “Why is it so cheap?”

Kara smacked her sister playfully on the shoulder, “Alex!”

Lena chuckled and shook her head, “No, no, it’s fine. If you hadn’t asked I would be concerned. Truth be told, there are a few reasons, mostly I just want to do something nice for someone. I understand how hard it can be for people in this city and I want to do what I can to make this place a little better.” Lena told them both. Kara felt like there was something more to it, as though Lena was holding off on what the real reason was, but Kara also knew that no word that Lena had just said was a lie. She seemed genuine, and Kara felt at ease after hearing her explanation.

Alex eyed her, seemingly unconvinced. Kara was about to ask Alex what she thought, when Lena jumped in, “I’ll give you both a moment to discuss what you want, or if you want, you can go and send me an email when you make up your mind.”

“We’ll just be a second, Lena,” Kara said sincerely.

Lena took off to the kitchen, leaving the sisters to their conversation on the sofas.

“Listen, Kara, I know this place is great and all, but something feels off to me. It just seems too good to be true.” 

“Alex, you heard her reasoning, she seems like a good person. Not very DeVille if you ask me. I haven’t seen one fur coat the whole time we’ve been here!”

“I know you want to see the good in people, and if you decide to move here I’ll support you, but I’m not sure about it. I mean, this whole place for $400 a month? Does this lady realise what people would be willing to pay for something like this?”

“Alex, I understand that you want to keep me safe and everything, but she seems honest to me, and between living here with someone who could be lovely, and living somewhere else with Mike, who I know is an asshole and for an extra $100 a month? It just seems like a no brainer,” Kara tries to reassure her sister, “Listen, if I even get a hint of something off about her, I will no doubt get out of here as soon as possible. I promise you that.”

Alex seems to give in after seeing Kara’s puppy dog eyes, “Fine, but I reserve the right to say ‘I told you so’ if this goes south.”

Kara laughs and pulls herself off of the sofa, making her way over to the kitchen where Lena seems to be occupying herself on her laptop, “So, if you’d have me, I would love to move in.” 

Lena smiles again, and Kara can’t help but stare. She’ll have to get used to that.

\---

Moving in was seamless, Kara doesn’t have much to her name, without the space to have many things, as well as the lack of money to buy what she does want. What she does have consists mostly of old art supplies, a laptop, a few of her favourite books from her time at college.

For her, college was good few years, they got her a degree in Journalism, and technically she is using it. Just not what she wanted to use it for. Kara had in her mind that she would work up the ranks of National City News, eventually being one of the top reporters and journalists. She’d make her living writing about people who have incredible stories from credible sources. She’d make a name for herself in the journalism community, eventually being one of the most well-known and sought after people in the profession. 

When she left college though, it wasn’t National City News. It was more like National, Shitty News. Don’t get her wrong, she still loved to write. But having to write what was essentially the same thing over and over again, while being beaten down by her superior, Snapper, if she put any kind of flare in her writing.

But, it pays the bills, so she stays.

While moving the book filled boxes up into her new apartment, she properly looks around. The dark wood floors contrast nicely with the light grey walls. The furniture all looks genuine, as if it's been here for years. Kara can’t help but notice how cold it all is, as though memories are trapped and still within the walls, not allowed to move. She makes a metal note to brighten the place up. She’ll buy some flowers to start, maybe put up some art, if Lena would let her.

Lena is absent today, although Kara can’t say that she would want the pristeen woman to see her in her current state, hair disheveled, old baggy jeans, and dirty tank top wasn’t the best look for her, nor was it a great second-impression.

“Kara, do you think you can manage to unpack all on your own? Or should I stay for that too?” Alex asks her sarcastically.

“I think I can manage,” Kara replies, mirroring the sarcasm, “Thank you so much. I promise I’ll pay you back in food during our next sister night,” She hugs her sister warmly, hoping she doesn’t smell too bad.

“I’m counting on it. Game night here is going to be pretty sweet you must admit.” Alex said, looking once more out the window before she leaves.

“So long as I make it to the next one without being murdered,” Kara jokes.

“Very funny. Text me this evening?” Kara nods and waves her sister off as she leaves down the hall.

Kara turns around, taking in a deep breath, and gets to work unpacking her things.

\---

Lena opens the door to her apartment with a huff, dropping down her bags and slipping off her shoes. For a moment, she wonders how the TV managed to turn itself on during the day.

“Hey! How was work?”

Kara’s head pops up from the couch and Lena startles, “Jesus, I completely forgot you live here now.”

“Oh my god, I didn’t mean to scare you,” Kara tells her, genuinely apologetic.

“No, no, it’s fine. I guess that’s something I’ll have to get used to after living on my own for so long,” She said with a small laugh, “Work was work, nothing special.” Lena said, hoping the woman won’t pry too much.

Kara pauses for a moment, contemplating something. When she doesn’t immediately continue the conversation Lena turns towards the kitchen, a familiar hunger working its way around her stomach.

She hears Kara move from the couch and follow her into the kitchen, “So, uh, what do you do for work? I don’t think I ever asked you.” Kara leans into the kitchen island while Lena turns to the fridge.

“Oh, I work at L-Corp,” Lena pauses for a beat, “I oversee some of the scientific operations there,” Not a total lie, technically that is what she does as CEO, just dumbed down slightly. Lena doesn’t want to intimidate the girl before they get acquainted.

“No way, that's such a cool job! I guess you’ve gotta be pretty smart for something like that.” Kara said, seeming genuinely interested in what Lena has to say.

‘Cool job’ is what Kara called it. Sure it's a cool job when she can actually get into the labs, but that's maybe a few hours every month. Otherwise she’s stuck in her office answering emails, or answering phone calls, or answering some stuck up rich white man who thinks he knows more than her even though she can be sure she’s got 4 more masters degrees than anyone in the room. 

“Pretty smart, or just the smartest in the bunch.” Lena jokes, as she pulls out various ingredients from her fridge, preparing the meal she’ll make this evening. As she does so, she notices Kara trying (and failing) not to look too obvious at the food she’s preparing. Lena considers just ignoring the girl, and waiting for her to get the courage to ask her what she’s making and if she can have some. Instead, she says, “Have you eaten yet?” 

Kara seems pleased she hasn’t had to request food from Lena, and excitedly shakes her head, “I’ve been moving all day, I think this is the longest I’ve ever gone without eating,” Kara chuckles, “A whole 4 hours.”

Lena smiles at her, and a strange expression flits across Kara’s face, “Well if you fancy some of this, feel free to help me chop.”

Kara nods and makes her way around the kitchen island to give Lena a hand.

\---

“So you’re an artist then?” Lena asks, swirling her wine around the glass.

Kara looks down bashfully, playing with her food before answering, “I guess so, I used to do a lot more painting and drawing, but you know, life takes a hold and work has to be done.” 

“And where do you work? I haven’t asked you either.” Lena realises, suddenly feeling rude.

Kara pauses again, “I write for a magazine, nothing special. Actually the complete opposite of special. It’s… it’s not ideal.” Lena wants to help this girl, out of nowhere, but after a second Kara perks up, “But a job is a job, and I want to write, and this lets me. Regardless of what it's about.”

Lena can see the want on Kara’s face, and she just wants to help her.

“One has to enjoy their job, Kara, otherwise what's the point?” Lena tells her, or asks her, Lena isn’t sure.

“But I know this is on the road to what I will enjoy, it’s just taking much longer than I would have hoped,” Kara fiddled with her glasses, “Or anticipated.”

They fall into silence, a curious, comfortable silence.

Then Kara breaks it, “What about you? Do you enjoy your job?”

Lena hadn’t thought that they would get so far into this kind of conversation so early on in their friendship, she’s not used to this back and forth, mutual interest kind of thing. She hasn’t thought about enjoying her job in months. It seemed to her that enjoyment didn’t really come with the role she had taken on. A boss was a boss, she was there to make sure that everything that was getting done was getting done well. Success in helping the greater good is what she enjoys and that's what she makes sure happens. She’s just not actively participating in such a hands on way as she would have hoped.

“I suppose I do, perhaps not in the ways that I want to but I’m achieving what I set out to,” Lena said, skillfully answering the question and not at the same time. Kara looked at her, with a question on the tip of her tongue. There was a curiosity that Kara had in her eyes, wanting to know more about Lena, but not yet asking.

\---

That night, Kara lay in bed wondering if she had overstepped a boundary. Lena hadn’t closed off to her, but after she asked Lena about if she enjoyed her job, she suddenly cut off. There was something more to the story that Kara wanted to know but she found herself wanting to know Lena as a person, not as a story.

\---

The rain was pouring, Kara shielded herself under an umbrella that she kept stashed beneath her desk at work, trying not to get too soaked as she rushed to get into the lobby of her new apartment building. Unfortunately, someone else had the same idea as they clashed in the entrance of the building.

“Oh shoot, I am so sorry!” Kara said looking up to them, only to be greeted by her new roommate., “Lena,” 

“Kara, what a surprise, I thought you would have gotten off of work sooner than this?” Lena said leading them into the elevator.

“Oh, yeah I try to, but my boss doesn’t like to see people get off before 5, or they’re suddenly and uselessly called ‘lazy millennials’.” Kara tells her.

“Well what a lovely person,” Lena said sarcastically.

“Yeah, Snapper can be harsh, but the later you stay the more chance of getting the good articles, so I can’t complain. What about you? Your boss made you stay late?” Kara asks, while she lets them into their apartment.

“Oh, well I kind of control my...department, so it’s more down to me when I leave. I prefer to know everyone’s home before I am, you know?”

Kara nods, searching the woman's face, “Well jeez, I wish you were my boss.” 

Lena chuckles, “Well how much do you know about mechanical engineering?”

Kara looks up in contemplation, “Not much but I could learn on the job,” Lena laughs, really laughs, and Kara delights in the fact that she could do that for her.

“Have you eaten Kara? I’m thinking of making something again tonight.” Lena says.

“I’ll always say yes to some good food. And whatever it was we had last night was so good I’m more than happy to have more of your cooking.”

“Did you want to give me a hand again? Or do you have work to do?” 

Kara considers her options, “Well I do, but you’re much better company,” Kara said honestly. Lena seems so pleased with the reply that Kara gives herself a pat on the back.

\---

After about a week of living with Kara, she can safely say that she made a good choice in choosing the girl to live with her. Kara’s clean, quiet, they practically have the same work schedule, which means they come home at almost the exact same time and eat together more often than not. Lena didn’t realise she could have such easy conversations with someone who is so different from her. Kara’s sweet, kind and bubbly. Lena isn’t sure anyone’s ever described her as any of those things. Kara seems to want to get to know her and Lena can’t help but open up to the girl. Although there are some things that she hasn’t told her, and a few facts that she’s altered slightly, to make her life seem less intense than it really is.

Lena’s the ‘head of a department’, not the head of a billion dollar company. Lena and her brother have a ‘strained relationship’, not he’s in prison because he’s a crazed murderer. Lena’s mother is ‘kind of a bitch’ not a manipulative, also crazed bitch.

But the more she gets to know Kara, the more she wants to tell her. It is hard trying to tell someone about your day when you can’t tell them too much. Lena considers letting the truth about her position as CEO come out to Kara as she rides the elevator to her floor.

Lena got off of work particularly late today, after some screw up from a new intern who was touching tech he shouldn’t have been touching, Lena had a lot of damage control to do in the labs. As frustrating as it was to get off of work at 8 at night, it was nice helping some of the scientists to fix the months worth of damaged work - and in record time.

Her mind wanders when she hears the commotion from inside. For a moment she wonders if she’s being robbed, but the doors intact and the shouts seem more happy and playful. Lena turns the door handle, finding it unlocked, and pushes it open. A motley bunch of people are gathered around Kara, as she stands in the middle of the apartment doing some kind of weird pose that Lena desperately hopes is charades, otherwise she’d have to reconsider the sanity of her new roommate.

As she slips off her shoes, she looks toward the bunch of guessers, one she recognises as Kara’s sister, one a few men that Kara hasn’t mentioned to Lena, and another woman that seems well attached to Alex.

The group quiets when they see Lena come in, looking at her as though she’s some kind of intruder, “Lena! Hey, I hope you don’t mind I invited some friends around for game night. We ordered pizza and there’s still some left if you want some?”

Lena pauses, “Um, no, I’m fine thank you, Kara,” She takes off to her room quickly, but not before hearing, “Woah, who was that?”

“Her roommate, obviously, Winn.” 

“I’m also pretty sure that was Lena Luthor, right?”

“Wait, Lena Luthor is your roommate?” Lena hears the inflection on her last name, Luthor, as always.

“Well, yeah I told you that.”

Lena closes her door behind her and lets herself slouch for the first time all day.

\---

Kara just can’t put her finger on it. Lena’s been weird for the past couple of days, they don’t have dinner together because Lena’s either home late or home early, which is fine but she also isn’t talking to Kara. Or, well, she is but not in the same way as before. It’s like some switch was flicked in her mind and now she realised that Kara isn’t as smart or interesting as she first thought she was and now no longer cares enough to get to know her.

And it’s infuriating, because Kara was loving getting to know Lena, she’s so smart and funny and witty, and if Kara’s being honest, totally beautiful. Cooking with her was great and Kara hated cooking. She was becoming one of Kara’s closest friends, and now she just shut her out like it was nothing.

She’s been pacing in her apartment for the past - Kara checks her watch - hour, apparently, trying to figure out what she did wrong. It was raining outside again and suddenly Kara realised she was freezing, also it was dark. When did it get this dark?

Kara flipped the switch to get her light on. Or not. No power.

She could at least be warm. She headed over to the thermostat in the main room just as Lena came in through the front door, shrugged off her coat and put down her umbrella.

“Jesus, why is it so cold in here?” Lena glanced over to Kara, “And why is it so dark?”

Lena flipped the switch next to her just as Kara said, “No power.”

“Shit.” Lena walked toward the window, looking out at the city as Kara continued fiddling with the thermostat.

“How on earth does this thing work?” Kara huffed.

“It’s the whole city, no one has any power.” Lena announced, looked back from the city. Kara walked over to her at the window just as Lena turned and walked to the thermostat. She tried not to think about it too much “And no heating. Great.”

“What do we do?” Kara asks, trying to get Lena to make eye contact with her. Lena adamantly doesn’t.

“We wait. There’s nothing we can do about something completely out of our own control,” Lena tells her coldly. 

Kara tries not to pay too much attention to that, “Have you eaten?” Kara asks her, wanting to get into their usual routine of cooking and eating together.

“I have some leftovers from last night.” Lena tells her, not seeing the grimace on Kara’s face when she turns to the fridge.

“Oh, um, actually, I might have taken those to work,”

“You ate my food? I didn’t realise I have to label my own things in my own fridge.” Lena jabs, as she turns to look at Kara.

“I’m sorry, Lena, I took them thinking it was mine, but when I got to work i saw that it wasn’t left over chinese it was some fancy looking chicken? I think it was chicken.”

“It was.”

“Well, I’m more than happy to help you cook more?” Or we can just order something?” Lena opened her mouth to speak, but before she could get any words out, her stomach growled loud enough to wake the building. Kara chuckled, “I guess thats a yes?” 

Lena looked at Kara, and nodded.

“What do you fancy?”

\---

It’s been a few hours now. Still no heating, still no light. Kara is freezing even under 3 blankets and a hoodie. The conversation between the two of them has been stunted and difficult, but Kara’s just happy that they’ve actually been speaking again.

“So what was keeping you so late when you came back a couple of days ago?” Kara questions, and Lena looks at her confused, “You know, game night, when you came back at like 8 and looked like you hadn’t eaten all day?”

A grim look passes across Lena’s face, “Just some idiot screwed up in the lab,” Lena suddenly got up again, not looking at Kara and walked toward the window in her own many layers of clothes.

Kara felt that same feeling, like she had just screwed up, but she wanted to keep talking to Lena, “I wish you were there you know, I bet you’ll love my friends. You’ll have to come to the next game night, I’m sure you’ll love it,” She says in excited anticipation, Lena says nothing, and Kara feels like she said something wrong again. 

“Yes, I’m sure I would have, had I been invited,” Lena says quietly.

Kara frowns and realises what has happened over the past couple of days, “Oh my god Lena I am so sorry. I didn’t realise, I totally forgot. I was going to leave you a note on the island in the morning but I just forgot.” Kara felt so guilty she thought that it was going to eat her up completely. The whole reason that Lena pushed her away was because she hadn’t been invited to game night?

Kara jumped up from her seat on the sofa and walked over to Lena at the window and grabbed her by her arms, “Lena truly, I didn’t mean to leave you out. I could’ve texted you or something but work had been so crazy that day that I totally forgot.” Lena was looking at her now, in the eyes and Kara had never been more glad. Kara pulled the woman in for a hug, trying to genuinely get her apology across to her. “I promise you, the next one we have, you absolutely will be formally invited.”

Lena pulls away from the hug, “Thank you Kara, that means a lot, but I don’t want a pity invite,” Lena tells her looking away once more.

“A pity invite- Lena I would never, I genuinely think you’re a nice person, and you would love my friends and I think they would love you too. Besides, you’re stuck with me now, you’re in too deep.”

Lena chuckles, “I don’t mind that,”

\---

It’s now about 12pm. Generally by now Lena would be almost asleep. Instead, she’s staring at her roommate who is dancing around her cold, candle lit apartment like some kind of fool.

If you were to ask Lena why she’s dancing too, she wouldn't be able to tell you. She’d probably tell you you’re seeing things. She’d never dance. She’d never dance, in the dark, in the cold, with a girl whose middle name Lena doesn’t even know. 

And yet here she is, making a fool of herself because the dark gives her the confidence she needs to just dance like she isn’t a CEO of a billion dollar company with 5 masters degrees.

Kara ends up on the floor, chest heaving, and Lena’s sitting a few feet away from her, looking at how Kara’s hair looks like a halo.

“What’s your middle name?”

“What?” Kara giggled slightly, turning her head to look at Lena, still out of breath.

“I don’t know your middle name.”

“I don’t have one.” Kara looks back to the ceiling, “What’s yours?” 

“Kieran.”

Kara hums.

The air seems to thicken between them, Lena couldn’t tell you why.

“Thats nice.”

\---

Kara and Lena quickly fall back into their routine, meet in the lobby, take the elevator up, quickly telling each other about how their day was, get into the apartment, Lena tells Kara to chop something up or stir something or measure something else. The way that they were able to dance each other around in the kitchen made it seem like they had been around each other for ages. Not like they had been roommates for 2 months.

Tonight, as they set themselves down to eat, Lena looked so nervous that it made Kara think that she was about to be kicked out. Kara wondered if Lena realised she wore her emotions on her face as plainly as she did.

She can’t have, because otherwise Lena would’ve covered it up. Kara only thought this because there was so obviously something that Lena wasn’t telling her. Kara knew that there was a lot that Kara didn’t know about Lena, how could she? They had only known each other for a few months, spending every evening together made it easy to find things out about someone, but terribly slowly and with a lot of hesitation.

There was something, though, that Lena was actively keeping from Kara. Which would be fine, she doesn’t have to know everything about the woman in front of her, but the indescribable want to know about Lena just made it frustrating, she wants to know everything.

“What’d you do at work today? Any incredible discoveries?” Kara asked, to get them started and hopefully take the nerves away from Lena.

“Today was....tiring. Though not because of any discoveries, more like the lack thereof. Everyone seemed to want to tell me all about how it's my fault” Lena told her, almost deflating.

“Shouldn’t stuff like that go to someone higher than you? You just oversee people, right? Tell them to tell the guy in charge,” Kara told her simply.

Lena shifted in her seat uncomfortably, “Well, I kind of am the guy in charge,”

“Well sure, in charge of a few people,” Kara told her like it was obvious.

“When I told you that I was in charge of a department it wasn’t totally true,” Lena told her, “Well, I am in charge of a department, it’s just more than one,” Lena shifted again, “More accurately, it's a whole company,”

Kara was....shocked? Or, stunned? Kara wasn’t sure what she was, “You don’t work at L-Corp?”

“No, I do.”

“You’re the CEO of L-Corp?”

“Yes.” 

Kara was in disbelief, this was the part of Lena that she didn’t know. Lena was a CEO, and of L-Corp. She knew that L-Corp’s CEO was a woman, but Kara figured it would be some horrible, cold hearted woman who cared about nothing, considering what she had heard previously about the company. But the more she thinks about it, the more it makes sense. She had heard that L-Corp was trying to make good change instead of the evil things that Lex Luthor was doing with the company but she hadn’t really put much thought into it. Kara just figured it must be something that a fortune 500 company would say for good press.

“Hold on, does that mean that Lex Luthor is your brother?” Kara said, wishing that she had put two and two together on her own. Some reporter she was.

“Well, I am adopted, but I did see him as a brother, yes.” Lena seemed to be somewhat distant after Kara recalling Lex.

“You’re adopted?” Kara said excitedly, “Me too!” Lena seemed almost relieved, as though this wasn’t the kind of reaction that she was expecting at all.

“So you aren’t mad at me?” Lena said.

Kara shook her head and laughed lightly, “Of course I’m not mad at you. To be honest I wish I had figured it out myself, it was staring me in the face. Of course you’re the boss, how did I not see that!”

Lena chuckled, “Yes, well, I must say I’m pleased you were able to know me as me, and not as CEO Lena,” That sad look crossed her face again.

“I’m sure CEO Lena is just as amazing as roommate Lena,”

“I wouldn’t be so sure, people don’t tend to like her,” Lena said honestly, that look not leaving her face.

“Those people don’t matter if you ask me,” Kara says honestly, “Anyone who doesn’t bother getting to know you for you isn’t worth knowing in the first place.”

Lena studies her face, “I don’t think anyone said anything like that too me before,”

“Now someone has,” Kara says boldly and sure, “And it’s true, so get used to it.”

Lena smiles, still studying Kara’s face, as though trying to find some kind of secret hidden within it, it’s like she wants to say something, and Kara wants to ask what's on her mind, instead she says, “So, you’re adopted?”

Kara nods, “Yeah, when I was twelve. I lost my parents in a car accident, and was lucky enough to be adopted by the Danvers’. I felt kind of like an outsider for a while, but they really took me in and made me feel like one of them. It was hard for a while but now I couldn’t ask for a better family.”

“I’m sorry to hear about your parents. I was four when the Luthors adopted me,” Lena said, fiddling with her fork in her hand.

“Do you remember your birth parents?” Kara asked tentatively, not wanting to pry too much.

“I have fuzzy memories, I remember my mother's silky dark hair, and my father's scratchy beard. Feelings, you know?”

“Yeah, I do,” They sat together, quietly remembering feelings, and wanting.

The air seemed to change between them as though they had broken through to another level of friendship.

\---

It’s 2pm and the problems show no sign of stopping.

Lena’s been held back at work for 4 days this week and she honestly couldn’t tell you why. It doesn’t make any sense because nothing is imminently wrong, it just seems that for whatever reason all of the people who do any worthwhile work in this company have suddenly become completely inept.

The only meal she had eaten in the past 4 days was what she considered to be breakfast, lunch and dinner all rolled into one. It consisted of a sandwich from whatever place would make it quickest and she only ever ate half before someone came and interrupted her to tell her something else had gone wrong.

As soon as she’s about to call Jess into her office to request her sandwich, someone else bursts in, Lena has no desire to look at whoever it is in the face so instead demands, “Whatever you have to tell me do it in less than 5 words, because I know I don’t have the time to deal with it right now,”

The person delays their response slightly, then says, “I. Bought. Lunch. Eat. Now. Please. I guess that’s six, but I didn’t want to sound rude. Oh- um- now it’s like ten,” 

Lena looks up to see Kara standing in front of her with a bag of what Lena can only consider the most delicious smelling food on the face of the earth. Lena’s never been so pleased to see Kara in her life. After having to stay late at the office every night for the past 4 days it seems like she hasn’t seen her in ages.

“Kara,” Lena breathes out, along with all the tension she’s been holding in.

Kara looks just as pleased to see her as Lena feels, “Hey, I haven’t seen you in a few days and I thought maybe you could use some food? I did some detective work and I don’t think any food is missing from our fridge, which means you haven’t eaten properly in days,” Kara takes a seat on her sofa and starts to unpack the paper bag.

“I appreciate the sentiment, really, Kara, but-”

“I don’t want to hear it, Lena, really. I haven’t seen you in days, and I know you haven’t eaten, so get over here would you?”

Lena really wanted to argue, but something about Kara bringing her food, and Kara being here in general, that Lena just couldn’t say no to. She took a look at her watch, and decided, “Okay, well you have me for an hour,” Lena pushes herself away from her desk and takes a seat next to Kara.

“Plenty of time for activities,” Kara paused, almost awkwardly, “Those activities being eating and catching up,” Kara clarified after a moment.

Lena could’ve said she saw Kara blush a bit, but she handed Lena a burger and she couldn’t help but get distracted, “Thank you so much, I really appreciate it,” She takes a first bite into the burger, and moans quietly, savouring the taste of the food, she could’ve sworn she’d seen Kara blush a little bit.

They eat in relative silence, Lena being just pleased that she gets some substantial food. After Kara’s eaten her food in an impressive time, she gets up to wander around Lena’s office, first heading to the window, observing the city outside. Lena absent-mindedly wonders what Kara’s thinking. She’s never seen her office before, and doesn’t really seem shocked at the scale. Lena then realises that Kara’s turned around and is looking right at her, and then realises that she’s been staring at Kara maybe a little bit too much.

“Gosh, have you lost sleep? You seem pretty out of it,” Kara asks, questioning why Lena’s just staring at her.

“Uhm, yes I suppose I am,” Lena turns back to her burger, as if she’s more interested in it than she is in Kara.

Out of the corner of her eye, she notices Kara wander around the room once more, turning her attention to some bit of paper on the table on one side of her room, “Wow, Lena what is this thing?”

Lena tries to make out like she wasn’t watching Kara, “What are you looking at?”

“I really have no idea, maybe some kind of prosthetic? Or, maybe a building material? Or a car part?” Kara throws out any guess she can think of, making Lena chuckle.

Lena gets up walking out next to Kara, who is looking at one of the plans she drew up a while ago, “Oh god, I didn’t realise I left this out,”

“What is it?”

“Oh, well, I was thinking a few months ago about creating something for cars that would be activated on impact to contain and delay any potential explosion for a short time, so that families would have more time to react to the situation and get themselves to safety,” Kara didn’t say anything so Lena carried on, “It would only be about the size of an apple, and around £30 so that anyone could afford it,” There was still nothing from Kara, and suddenly, Lena thought maybe she had said something wrong, “As well as being universally and easily fitted, so that there would be no kind of extra cost from mechanics or anything,” Kara was just staring at the paper, “Kara? Are you okay?”

Kara sniffs a little and fiddles with her glasses, suddenly Lena’s sure she said something wrong, “Yeah, uh, yes, I’m sorry, it’s just, seeing something like this just makes me think that if it had existed before then maybe my parents would’ve had more a chance, you know?” Kara says but she's not quite looking at Lena.

“Well, it’s not actually being manufactured right now, this is just something I drew up one evening,”

Kara seemed shocked, “Lena if you can do this in one evening, then imagine what you can do with…” Kara searches for a word in mid-air, “with two evenings!”

Lena chuckles, “Yes, I’m sure it would be wonderful, but unfortunately there’s a whole company that needs to be run, and if the past four days have been any show, this place can barely run with me here. Let alone with me away.”

Kara doesn’t seem convinced, her still misty eyes looking at Lena like she could be the smartest person in the world. It makes Lena’s stomach somersault, “Well, regardless, you should do more of what you’re really enjoying, and if we’re being honest, then I can say that it certainly isn’t this,” Kara says factually, as she gestures around the office.

“I know, but my family left me with a specific job, and if I can do anything for them now, it’s the one and only thing they left me to do,” Lena tells her, letting the sad seep through her voice.

“That doesn’t mean that you have no choice Lena, they left you a company, not a position,” Kara tells her, “You told me to do what I enjoy, you should too.”

Lena considers this for a moment, “I know, but right now it seems that this company is in crisis, and right now what they really need is a CEO, so that’s what I have to be,”

Kara looks at her again, watching as she goes to sit down at her desk, “Just don’t forget to do something for you, okay?”

Lena nods, giving her a sweet smile and wonders what she did to get a friend like Kara.

“Anyway, we’re having another game night on Wednesday and they’re all asking if we can host them again, you in?” Kara asks just as she’s about to leave.

“Wednesday, can do. I’ll make sure I get off early. Is there anything I’ll need to get?”

“Maybe some snacks, but usually we all chip in to get food and drinks so don’t go crazy with it,”

With that, they say goodbye and Lena’s left alone in her office to deal with whatever else might arise. For a moment, she considers Kara and what she’s really done for Lena over the past few months. Somehow she’s gotten close enough with this girl to make a real friendship. The first one in months, she’s always either fallen out with people, outgrown them, or they had only liked her for her family and she doesn't have that anymore so they had deemed her useless.

Now, she has Kara, who has only known her a few months but knows the real, genuine Lena. Lena wonders if she has ever even had any real friends because she’s never felt like this for any of them, even Sam, and they’ve known each other for years. Sam was the truest friend she’s ever had, but not in the same way as Kara. Sam had been her friend for a while, accompanying her while she was taking over Luthor-Corp and turning it into L-Corp, but she wasn’t close enough to her to condone going out for drinks in the evening and getting to know her past asking how her daughter is.

Lena now couldn’t ever imagine going back to her apartment and finding it empty like it was for so many years. There’s a lightness that comes with Kara that Lena hasn’t seen in anyone else before. She seems to fill every room she’s in, and wants only to make people feel better. And she does, Lena’s never felt this good around someone since she was a child.

Kara only wants to spur her on, only wants to bring her good things. Kara bought Lena lunch when she knew she hadn’t eaten. Kara told her she deserves more than what she gives herself, which Lena’s never been told before. She’s only ever been told to be better, to do better, having someone tell her that she deserves better is unheard of.

With that thought, she takes another look at her schematics, and gets to work.

\---

Before Kara knows it, Wednesday evening has arrived and she’s heading back to their apartment with a few bags of chips and a six pack of beer that Alex has said she likes.

And right on time, she runs into Lena. Her dark hair is messily swept to one side from the winter wind, and her eyes almost glowing green, it almost surprises Kara for some reason, she pauses mid-step and tries to compose herself but when Kara looks down to her hands she sees bags filled to the very top.

“Oh let me help you with those,”

“Thank you Kara, I appreciate it,” Lena hands off one of the bags to Kara.

They push through the front doors, “What is all this stuff?”

“You told me to get snacks,” Lena says with a shrug.

Kara gawks, “I said a bag of chips! You didn’t have to do all of this, we’ll never eat it all,”

“I was going to get just one thing, but then I realised I don’t know what you like, so I guessed, then I realised maybe everyone else doesn’t like those two things, so then I just bought everything I thought someone would like.” Lena paused for a beat, “Also some groceries.” She smiled at Kara, and Kara’s stomach flipped at the sight. Not yet used to that smile.

“Well, for future reference, I’ll eat anything you buy, so long as it's not kale flavour,” Kara says seriously.

“Noted. I’ll keep it in mind,” Lena laughs as they step into their apartment, “When’s everyone coming over?”

“Should be sometime between 6 and 7,” Kara said, dropping the bag of snacks onto the kitchen counter, she turned to Lena as she did the same and started putting everything away into various cupboards. As she watched Lena dancing around the kitchen, she noticed the slight shake in her hands and the small crease in between her eyebrows, “Are you alright?” 

Lena looked at her, almost surprised at the question, “I,” Lena looks at Kara, perhaps for a moment too long, but Kara didn’t mind it, “I will admit I’m a little nervous,” Lena says, in a strange official voice.

“That’s okay, it must be pretty daunting that a bunch of strangers will be in your apartment and you’ve never even met any of them,” Kara says factually, then realises it wasn’t really of any help after seeing the crease in between Lena’s eyebrows get slightly deeper, “But, listen, they’re all so nice, and there’s nothing to worry about. In fact, I cannot wait for you to meet Winn, you and him are going to have so much in common.”

Kara then pulls Lena in for a hug, “I’m going to get ready, thank you,” Lena says, as they part.

\---

Kara watches as Lena and Winn do, as predicted, get along like a house on fire. Lena’s sat on one of the sofas as Winn is perched on the edge of his seat, a bowl of pringles all to himself, listening intently to whatever it is they’ve been talking about for the past 5 minutes. They’ve taken a slight break from the games after pictionary got a little bit too heated, but if you asked either Alex or James about that, they wouldn’t have a clue.

Kara watches as she explains something, using her hands to display two things, then moves around in ways she couldn’t explain and Winn seems to understand it, because he mirrors her, and they laugh together. Lena’s laugh has a similar effect on Kara as her smile, but times ten. The animation in her face reaches her whole body, as though she can’t help but fully react to the situation, because it's just that good. If Kara could film that and repeat it she would. But she isn’t that weird.

“What ya lookin’ at?” Alex asks with a sly smile on her face.

“What? Yeah, uh, yes,” Kara tears her eyes from Lena, who’s gone back to looking at Winn, discussing something very serious, if her face is anything to go by.

“Your answer to my question is ‘Yes’?”

“I don’t know, what was your question?” Kara couldn’t tell you why she felt so hot all of a sudden.

“Don’t worry about it,” Alex laughed a little, “They’re getting pretty close, don’t you think?” Alex motions towards Winn and Lena, who is now also at the edge of her seat.

“Yeah, I thought they would get along,” Kara says, although the words come out almost annoyed.

“I bet they’d be great together,” Alex teases, looking at Kara.

Kara hums, “I’m not sure Lena’s looking for a relationship, you know.”

“Right, maybe not,” Alex said in a hushed, teasing voice.

“What? What do you mean? Why are you whispering?” Kara questions, standing up a little straighter, “I just want Lena to be happy, of course,”

“Yeah, and so should you, you know.” Alex looks at her, honestly, “You should go for what you want, Kara,” and Alex walks away.

Lena walks up behind Kara, drawing her hand along her shoulder, the touch makes her shudder, “Hey, are you alright? You look confused,” Lena asked.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m alright,” Kara says, trying to compose herself after what Alex said to her. Unfortunately Lena doesn’t seem convinced, “What were you and Winn talking about over there? It seemed pretty intense,” Kara said, trying not to seem too interested.

“Oh, just some ideas about engineering he had, and wanted to go over with me,” Lena said, her face lighting up even at the idea of such a conversation.

“So they’re not as scary as you thought they would be?” Kara jokes.

“No, not at all,” Lena laughs quietly, “Thank you, Kara, really,” She looked to Lena, who was already looking at her, “For all of this.”

“Of course, Lena, you deserve this,” Kara tells her, considering what Alex said in the back of her mind. Go for what she wants? What did Alex think Kara wanted? Regardless, she looked back at the group, who were all gathering around a monopoly board, “C’mon, I’m trusting you to be the person who finally catches Alex cheating at monopoly,” Kara grabbed Lena’s hand and her drink as she turned away and joined everyone at the board.

As Kara took a seat on the floor at the coffee table, she realised she hadn’t let go of Lena’s hand. Kara let go suddenly and missed the warm feeling of Lena’s palm on hers, “I’ll be the top hat!” She called out, realising that Alex was giving her a strange look. Kara frowned at her once more, and Alex rolled her eyes.

\---

As the night settled down, everyone became a little too tipsy to really play any game, because no one could focus on the rules. As far as Kara could tell on her seat against Alex on the sofa, Lena and Winn were playing snap, and after Winn supposedly lost, he made his way out of the apartment, telling everyone he’d see them soon.

Slowly everyone was filtering out, Kara telling them all to text her when they had gotten home safe. Finally, when Alex and Kelly had made their way out, Lena and Kara started cleaning up as much as they could manage. Luckily their guests were so good that they already washed up their glasses so all they really had to do was throw away their various bags of chips and an almost impressive amount of empty beer bottles.

“How did we really drink this much?” Lena said, dropping another into a black bag.

“I really don't know, this doesn’t normally happen,” Kara said, indignantly, “You must be a bad influence,” She winked at Lena.

Lena shook her head, smiling and quickly turned away, “Very funny, but I just bring out bad habits that are already in you,”

Kara dropped herself back down onto the sofa, with a family size bag of chips in her hand, deciding that cleaning is just too much work when her legs feel a little too wobbly. Before she knows it, Lena’s next to her, also digging into the bag as well.

Kara notices the citrusy way that she smells, and the warmth that spreads through her body as Lena leans into her trying to get to the chips. Lena felt so comfortable, she slotted into place next to Kara like she was a piece of Kara’s puzzle.

“So, how did I do?” Lena almost whispered, into the dimly lit room as though it might not be a real conversation if she spoke quietly enough.

Kara breathed out a laugh, “Everyone loved you. Not that I had any doubts,” 

They paused, Kara carried on, “You’re amazing, and I had no doubt that any of them wouldn’t like you.” 

They paused, “And you smell really good,”

Lena laughed loudly at that, “Excuse me?”

“Sorry I’m a little bit tipsy, I’ll be honest,” Kara told her, laughing along, “But you do smell really nice,”

“Thanks, drunk Kara,” Lena said, speaking so quietly again.

“You’re welcome, drunk Lena.”

They sit quietly for a while, Lena still curled up against Kara, as though they were attached to each other physically, not able to move away. Kara could sense that Lena had something to say, the air between them was too thick with something unsaid. Kara wanted to prod, ask Lena what it was, so she could know something else about her, the desire to know everything about Lena coming over her once more. But, without any prodding required, Lena suddenly spoke.

“I’ve never been so glad to have met someone.” She said softly, “When I put the ad up for a roommate I didn’t think I’d find someone like you. I wanted someone to fill the silence in the evening, this place seemed so dark, and I needed someone to brighten it up. I wanted and needed someone to remind me that this apartment isn’t just full of memories.” 

Kara didn’t dare say a word, in fear that if she did that this soft Lena would disappear as quickly and quietly as she turned up, “I used to come here with Lex and my parents, when they would need to come to the city for the weekend. Me and Lex would play chess, and he’d always win. But he would help me improve, give me tips and tricks. Before everything happened to him he was nice, he was my brother and I love him.”

Lena seemed like she might break down at any moment, Kara just held her closer, “I don’t love him now, I know who he is and what he’s like. But I love the him that was my brother. He was kind and thoughtful and protective. I miss him,” Kara didn’t know what to say to her, but hoped that she was enough to just stay with her, “Having you here makes everything I remember from this apartment seem not so bad. Like the memories aren’t tainted so darkly.”

Kara didn’t know what to say. She wasn’t sure she should or if she had to at all.

Kara twisted slightly, not wanting to move too much and looked over to Lena, realising suddenly that she was asleep. Kara must have been silent for longer than she thought she was, or Lena was so tired that she couldn’t keep it away anymore.

Kara kissed her softly on the head, and let herself drift off along with Lena.

\---

A few days after game night, Lena falls ill. She had dragged herself through one day of work yesterday with a small cough and a blocked nose figuring she could beat this cold by ignoring it, but when she wakes up the next morning shivering and yet covered in sweat, she realises that maybe she isn’t too well.

As much as Lena would love to get into work she knows that she’ll do more harm than good if she goes right now. She calls Jess and tells her to get Sam to sit in for her in any really important meetings, and asks her to hold any documents or contracts that may be sent up to her office to be signed off. Lena knew Sam could handle such a job, she had been there with her while she took over L-Corp, and taught her as much as she could about the business.

Her body seems to think that that 5 minute call was plenty activity for her and that the best thing to do would be go to sleep. She could hear Kara moving around in the kitchen, she figured that Kara would be wondering what was going on seeing as Lena hadn’t been in the bathroom nor had she left any remnants of breakfast in the sink. A part of Lena had hopes that Kara would come knocking to see if Lena was alright, perhaps stick around and take care of her for the day, but she knew that Kara wasn’t the type to barge into Lena’s room while she could be sleeping.

Kara was the type to check up on her at work when she realised that Lena hadn’t eaten anything at their apartment for days. Kara was the type to fall asleep with her on the sofa, curled up and warm against her, after Lena had confided in her about her family.

In her drunken state, Lena wanted to tell Kara everything about herself and her family. Kara had been looking at her all night, and when Kara grabbed her hand and led her to the monopoly table she couldn’t help but feel something, as much as she didn’t think she should.

While she had been talking to Winn that night it was almost impossible not to feel Kara’s eyes on her. She tried to stay in the conversation and not allow her thoughts or eyes to drift, but it seemed near impossible considering how obvious Kara was being. Luckily, just when she was about to lose it, Alex had gone and distracted Kara from her study of Lena and she couldn’t be more thankful.

Soon, she heard the front door to the apartment close, pulling Lena back to earth and into a deep sleep.

\---

When Lena woke up again, she checked her phone and realised it was 11am, groaning because she hated sleeping in, wasting the day doing absolutely nothing even when she had a cold. Lena pulled herself out of bed, realising that her fever had not yet broken. As much as she didn’t want to she made herself have a hot shower, put on some clean, comfortable clothes and trudged out into the kitchen to make herself eat something.

As she poured herself a glass of water and a bowl of greek yogurt for her sore throat the front door opened wide and Kara walked in. Lena was suddenly very pleased she made herself shower, because she knew that she looked pale and ill, she didn’t need to look like she had just rolled out of bed as well.

Although, before Kara noticed Lena, Lena noticed that Kara seemed upset, or perhaps angry. Kara dropped her bag down to the ground and pulled her windswept hair into a ponytail. Lena couldn’t manage to take her eyes off of her. Even if she looked angry, she certainly looked good. The cold winter air had gotten to her, as her nose and cheeks were flushed red, her eyes were just as blue as they always were, and stray hair framed her face in a way that made Kara impossibly more beautiful. That was until Kara looked up and noticed Lena standing in the kitchen. Suddenly, Lena realised she must look like some kind of ghost.

“Oh my gosh!” Kara almost jumped out of her skin, “Lena, what are you doing here? Are you okay? You don’t look very well,”

Lena croaked out, “I’m sick,” simply, and promptly realised how congested she sounded. Kara slowly approached Lena, looking at her as though she has some kind of alien attached to her.

“In the nicest way possible, I can tell. Have you eaten?”

“I’ve got this yogurt,” Lena said flatly.

“A whole bowl of plain yogurt that you haven’t touched,” Kara said, not bothering to disguise the disgust in her voice. Kara walked up to the other side of the island, looking more concerned as the seconds went by.

“I’m going to eat it,” Lena says dismissively, “What are you doing here, anyway?”

The angry, upset look comes back to Kara face in full force, “Just something at work, I’ll tell you about it later, when you’re well,”

“I’m not sure that I’ll ever get better, at this rate,” Lena joked, but she was genuinely concerned about whatever had happened to Kara at work. Lena just wanted to help her in any way she could. She made a mental note to bring it up to her later.

“Here, when I was growing up Eliza would make me the best soup when I was sick, so lay down in front of the TV, do nothing all day,” Lena held her hand up to protest, “Nothing! And I’ll make you some soup. You can eat your yogurt too if you want to,” Kara almost sneered at her bowl, “And lots of water!”

Lena was about to protest her roommate, but something about Kara taking care of her made her feel so warm inside, so she did what she was told. Taking her bowl of yogurt with her to the sofa, and turning on the TV.

\---

Lena finds herself waking up in the afternoon, the sun was beginning to set from what she could see through bleary eyes. Then, she heard Kara moving around in the kitchen, the smell of chicken soup wafting over from her direction.

She managed to get herself up once more, realising how sticky her back was again, she took her sweater off of her, and revealed her loose vest underneath. As she moved toward the kitchen, she saw Kara stirring a large pot of soup with her hair in the same ponytail, but now in some shorts and a baggy top, clearly dressed for comfort. Lena figured she can’t have gone back to work today.

“How’s the soup?”

Kara jumped a little bit, “God, you’ve got to stop doing that,”

“Sorry, darling,” Lena hadn’t realised the term of endearment slipped out until a little too late.

“It’s almost done, maybe five more minutes. I think I made way too much though, so stay ill for a few days,” Kara chuckled a little bit, “I’ll bring it over to you, if you like?”

Lena smiled at her, watching as she dropped a few more ingredients into the pot. Seeing Kara so domestic made her stomach swoop, “You don’t have to do all of this, you know? You must have work to do,” 

Lena noticed Kara stiffen slightly as she mentioned work, and wondered once more what prompted such a reaction, “No, it’s fine. I would rather take care of you,” Kara spun around, grabbing a few bowls and sliced bread, Lena couldn’t help but have Kara’s words hang in her mind.

Take care of her.

“Lena?”

“Yes?”

“You want to join me on the sofa?” 

“Yes! Thank you so much for doing this Kara, I really needed it,”

They both sat down on the sofa, and Lena tucked into her food. Realising just how hungry she was as she took her first bite, she moaned slightly as she ate, “Oh god, this is so good, Kara,”

Kara cleared her throat, and Lena noticed her blush slightly, “Don’t thank me, thank Eliza,”

“You made this for me, Kara, this is all you,” Lena said, looking her in the eyes. The corner of Kara’s lips quirked up slightly, and she proudly sat up a little straighter.

“You’re welcome, hopefully you’ll be better soon. The soup is magic after all,”

Lena chuckled at that, “Well, you hadn’t told me it’s magic. So I should be well by tomorrow, right?”

“I mean it’s not that magic, so don’t get your hopes up,”

Lena laughed, feeling better already, but she wasn’t so sure that it was the soup doing it.

They spent the rest of the evening talking, and making dumb comments about the characters on the TV show they were watching. Lena enjoyed herself as much as she could in that evening, with the soup settled in her stomach and Kara’s company on the sofa opposite her. They were both stretched out in the same way, and even though she didn’t want to admit it, Lena had been sneaking glances over to Kara for the duration of the evening.

She could tell something had happened to the girl, she had been slightly too tense when they were talking, and she knew it had to do with her work. Kara hadn’t brought it up, so Lena didn’t feel like she should pry. Instead deciding that she would leave it for another day, when she could give Kara whatever advice she needed and not be influenced by her fever.

Although, Lena had to admit to herself that it certainly wasn’t the only reason she couldn’t stop looking at Kara. She didn’t want to admit it but her feelings for Kara were leaning slightly over the line between platonic and into romantic after game night. Of course, she had realised how close they were getting but she thought that this was just normal friend feelings. She was friends with Sam, but not so close as her and Kara, so Lena just thought that she had never had such a true, close friend like Kara.

But as the evening went on, Kara made her laugh and made her feel better when she was ill. Kara made her stomach warm, and made her feel like she was at home for the first time in a long time. The way that Kara brightened up any room she was in made Lena swoon.

Lena was in deep, she thought, as she drifted off once again.

\---  
When Lena woke up the next time, she was still on the sofa. The sun was streaming in from the windows, hitting her right in the face. Kara wasn’t there which disappointed Lena a little bit, she must admit.

Sitting up and stretching out her stiff neck a little, she realised how much better she felt. She wasn’t covered in a sheen of sweat like the morning before and could almost think straight, though she was still slightly congested.

Lena decided once more to take a day off for herself, figuring it would be better than throwing herself straight back into work. After informing Jess of this choice, she decided to take another shower and get to work on the device she had talked to Kara about in her office. Hearing about how much it could have helped Kara’s family had struck a cord within Lena. This was something that could truly help people, and she was just keeping the idea on paper.

She took out another piece of large graph paper and started refining the idea.

\---

Kara wasn’t sure if she had overstepped the mark. But seeing Lena sleeping there that evening, as ill as she looked, the soft glowing gold light made her seem so beautiful. She hadn’t drawn in so long, but in that moment all she wanted to do was capture Lena’s soft look.

So she did, grabbed her charcoal pencils, sketch book, and settled into her seat opposite Lena.

She drew Lena’s dark hair, how it was pulled back into a low ponytail - for comfort, she thought - how it was looser than it had been at the beginning of the day.

She drew Lena’s soft, closed eyes.

She drew the sharp line of her jaw, and how even when she wasn’t well she still seemed to look like royalty.

She drew the curve of her nose.

And then, focused in on the shadows surrounding her face, and how the dark did nothing but accentuate the sharp features that were there, while the golden light just made her look so soft.

Kara couldn’t believe a woman so delicate could be considered ruthless or mean by anyone.

She drew Lena’s full body after that, sharing the paper with the portrait of her. Lena was wrapped up in herself. Her arms hugging herself, her shoulders on show, and the sweater she had been wearing had been discarded at her feet. Her sweat pants had dropped a little around her hips, and her vest was further up her stomach, revealing a little bit of stomach that just made Kara pause and stare for a little too long.

Now, the day after, on her lunch break, Kara was in the frame store, wondering if maybe this was a little too weird. Before she could stop herself, she picked up a sleek, black frame with some filigree in the corners, A4, the same size as the drawing, and took it with her back home.

\---

Lena hadn’t been out of her room all day.

That was the first thing that Kara noted when she got home. Nothing had moved except the blanket that she had put over Lena before she went to bed. Kara had considered waking her up, but it seemed like what Lena really needed was sleep, and she couldn’t bring herself to wake Lena up when she looked so peaceful.

She could hear music coming from Lena’s room, probably louder than she should really have it, but Kara was intrigued as to why she was playing music in the first place. Kara realised suddenly that she had never heard Lena even mention music before, but now she knew that she liked to listen to some classical violin/cello music Kara couldn’t name if she tried.

Kara made her way into her room, took out the frame she had bought and placed her drawing inside it.

She wondered once more if this was weird.

It might be.

But what would be weirder was to keep this drawing of Lena to herself, and what? Stare at it every night before she went to sleep? 

No, she had bought the frame, now she was going to utilize it.

She took the framed photo out into the main room and placed it on their table, and dearly hoped that Lena would come out her room soon so that Kara could see her reaction.

\---

Before Lena knew it, it was 7 in the evening and she had been working all day. There was a nook in her room with very basic materials she would use to draw up ideas she had when she had them in the night, or do some experiments if the mood hit her and she couldn’t get to the labs at L-Corp for whatever reason.

With a stretch, she got up out of her desk chair, turned off the music coming from her record player, and made her way out to the main room. She figured that Kara would’ve eaten by now and retreated back into her room, but noticed the girl sitting on her phone on one of the sofas.

Once more, it struck her how beautiful Kara really was. 

Quietly, she decided, Kara was quietly beautiful. She could walk into any room and be the most beautiful one there and no one would even realise. Lena did, Lena realised exactly how incredible she looked at any time.

“You’re alive!”

“Yes, it seems I made it through another day,” Lena laughed at her joke, “I’d still keep your distance,” 

“I don’t think I could manage to keep my distance from you ever,”

Lena’s stomach fluttered.

“Have you eaten?”

“Not all day, if I’m honest,” Lena winced, knowing Kara wouldn’t be happy.

“What! Lena, you have to eat, come on, I’ll heat up some soup for you,”

As Kara made her way over to the kitchen, Lena noticed a framed drawing on the table, she didn’t recognise it as one she had bought at any time, so she took a closer look.

As she picked it up, she realised it was her.

The drawing of herself looked so peaceful. Lena hadn’t ever seen herself like that, like the calm before the storm. Lena always viewed herself as the storm.

She realised in a split second that Kara must’ve done this, because in the drawing she was wearing the clothes from yesterday. She didn’t know what to say. Lena just continued to look at the drawing. The long strokes outlining her face, the haphazardly coloured in hair, the slight upwards curve of her mouth.

“Do you like it?” Kara’s voice pierced through her thoughts. She didn’t know how long she had been looking at the picture, but it was long enough for Kara to have prepared the soup from yesterday.

Lena really didn’t know what to say. No one had drawn her before. No one had liked her enough to.

Instead of saying anything, she threw her arms around Kara, pulling her in tight. Trying to convey all of her emotions in one touch. Truthfully, Lena wanted to kiss Kara, grab her face in her hands and pull her lips into hers. But she knew she shouldn’t, she couldn’t risk the possibility of Kara not feeling the same way. Before she could tell Kara about how she feels she has to know if Kara feels the same way.

Lena carefully let go, looked back at the drawing, and said, “I love it.”

Kara seemed to relax after she said that, as if Lena would really hate it.

After sitting down to eat, Lena remembered how Kara had acted yesterday, “What had happened to you yesterday? You seemed tense,”

Kara stiffened again, seemingly remembering what had happened, “Uh, well, you know that my boss isn’t the best guy ever, and a lot of the things I write are about a load of rubbish, celebrities new dogs and whatnot,” Kara began, “Then yesterday, he gave me a story that could be a really big break, which I was stoked about,”

“Kara, that great! What’s so wrong about it?” Lena said, confused.

“The story was about you, and your family, he wanted me to paint all of you in a negative light” Kara said, looking down to her lap, clearly nervous but carried on, “He doesn’t know we live together and I, of course, said no, because I would never, ever do that to you. So I refused, and he demanded I do it and wanted to know why I wouldn’t, and so I left, and came back here,” The words seemed to drop right out her mouth, as quickly as she could make them.

Lena didn’t really know what to say, “So what happened when you went in today?” Lena was concerned.

“I went to talk to him, to be professional, you know. I explained that we were close, and that I wasn’t comfortable with doing the article. Then he stared at me, rolled his eyes, and told me to go interview a woman at the park who couldn’t stop her dog from chasing squirrels,” Kara seemed a little upset, which is understandable because that would have been a big story for her to have written. She almost felt responsible, if her and Kara weren’t friends then she would have been able to do this article, made a name for herself and started working her way up in the industry.

Interrupting her thoughts, Kara says, “What are you thinking?”

“Nothing, I just- I feel like I should apologise. If you didn’t know me then you could’ve done this article,”

Kara shook her head, “No, Lena I wouldn’t have wanted to do that article anyway. Your family aren’t the best people out there, I can say that, but I would never have been able to write you in such a negative light. You’re your own person, and I couldn’t just group you in with people who aren’t like you at all,”

Lena frowned slightly, “Are you sure? I don’t want to impact you and your career just because we’re friends,” As she said it, she couldn’t help the slight twinge that happened when she said ‘friend’.

“Lena, come on, we’re more than ‘friends’,” Lena glanced up, “I can safely say you’re my best friend,” Kara smiled. Lena ignoring the drop in her stomach after Kara’s declaration, “I don’t regret telling him no, and I never will. I’ll work my way to the top properly, not making people seem like they’re something they’re not,” Kara said surely. 

“Thank you, Kara, I really appreciate that,”

“Anyway, what have you been doing today? You seemed pretty in the zone when I came in, with that violin music playing and all,” 

Lena smiled at the term, “Yes, I’ve been working on something, taking these couple of days off has actually been pretty good for me to be honest,” Lena started, “I’m hoping I’ll be able to get into the labs soon, I have to go down there anyway to take a look at what stage certain projects are at,”

“That’s so great, Lena!” Kara reached forward and grabbed her hand, the small touch taking much too much of Lena’s attention away from the conversation to be safe.

After that, they just walked about what had happened to through the day, Lena updates Kara on her wellbeing, telling her that she’d go back to work tomorrow, and Kara told her that she was glad Lena was getting back to normal, and that she looked forward to meeting the dog she was supposed to interview. The idea of Kara interviewing a dog made Lena chuckle.

It was all concerningly domestic to Lena. Washing the dishes together, laughing at things that happened to them through the day, sitting around the TV with them both working next to each other, enjoying the noise of the TV, a drink, and each other's warmth. Lena had no problem with it.

The only thing that dragged Lena back down to earth was when Kara bid Lena goodnight and went in the opposite direction from Lena’s room. Something about knowing that Kara would be so close, and yet not in her bed made Lena’s heart ache more than could be healthy.

\---

Lena’s trip to review the progress her employees are making in the labs is, thankfully, fruitful. She has a long discussion with one of her head scientists about the advanced prosthetics project they were working on and, after talking to her PR department, they decide that an announcement would be in order.

After talking to Sam and the PR team they had decided that, even though the new prosthetics would be a big deal, the project wasn’t big enough to connote a gathering of news teams or reporters. They need a way to announce the idea that allowed the proper people to become informed and aware of the project, but that didn’t bring herds of reporters to her email, asking for quotes.

“We do have social media,” Sam throws an idea onto the table, “And a website we don’t use as much as we should. If we got a writer to interview the scientists who were directly working on the project as well as you, Lena, then we could announce it officially, but with a pre-written article with the most information that could be obtained, no tabloids will be interested in it,”

Lena nodded slowly, “Do we have records of the project from start to finish? It could be interesting to put in the whole development process, it might make us more likeable. I know that's something you often talk about,” She said, motioning to the PR team.

“It’s a good idea, but we’d have to employ a writer and for this one project announcement it doesn’t seem worthwhile,”

It was like a bulb lit up in her head.

“What if we did this with every project,” Lena started, when Sam looked at her strangely she elaborated, “What if we had a sort of, in house journalist, who could write and document our projects from start to finish? Or even just a freelance writer for when we announce projects like this,” The PR team nodded along with her, seeming to agree, “If we could have regular articles come out on our website and promote it on social media, would it make people like us more?”

The PR team nodded once more, “But the issue stands, we don’t know of any writers. I mean we could find some, but all the best writers in National City are covering stories bigger than this one. There’s a reason this city is mostly tabloids,”

“Not all the best ones,” Lena said, preparing to explain her idea.

\---

Kara was sitting at her desk when Lena called, after the day she was having seeing Lena’s name pop up was the best thing that could happen right now. Lena always managed to brighten her day.

“Hey! What’s up?” Kara said, as cheerfully as she could, considering she was sitting in front of her laptop with half an article about the dog that chases squirrels.

“Hi,” Lena sounded just as happy to hear from her as Kara was, “Kara, do you have time to come to L-Corp today? There’s something I want to talk to you about,”

Kara would have seemed concerned at Lena’s words if she didn’t sound so happy, “Sure, I can be down for lunch if you like? What’s up?” 

Lena paused, “Nothing bad, I promise, but it’s better if we talk in person.”

Kara frowned, “Sure, I’ll be over in 20 minuets.”

\---

As Kara made her way to L-Corp, she couldn’t help but think of what Lena would have to tell her. Her mind, of course, went to the worst case scenario. Lena was probably going to tell her to move out, or tell her that her rent would be going up by $400 because she was a terrible roommate.

By the time she got to the lobby, Kara had calmed herself down and remembered how excited Lena sounded on the phone. It could only be good news. As she made her way past security, one of the men informed her that she would be escorted to the labs, instead of Lena’s office.

What Lena needed Kara for in the labs, she had no idea. Regardless, Kara followed the well dressed man while looking around in the hallways that she somehow had never explored before.

Before she knew it, Lena was standing in front of her, wringing her hands like she was nervous about something. Kara also noted that Lena was standing in front of a robotic looking arm and a scarily realistic leg.

When Lena notices Kara, she visibly relaxes, Kara’s oddly glad that she could have that reaction on someone, “Kara, how are you?” Lena asks as they pull each other into a hug.

“I’m good, well, confused as to what I’m doing down here, but pleased to see you,”

Lena seems to brighten at that, “I wanted to show you some things,” Lena motions to the arm and leg beside the two of them, up close, Kara can see that on one end of both limbs, there’s a kind of dip with hundreds of tiny mechanical...tentacles inside it?

“My team has been working on these. They’re prosthetics, but they have the ability to connect the mechanics of the limb to the electromagnetic impulses that come from a person's nervous system, and so the prosthetic will move almost the same as a real arm,” Lena says, pausing to check that Kara’s following, “The limbs have been made so that all the mechanics mirror the same muscles as a biological arm, making it the most advanced prosthetic in the world,” Lena finishes.

Kara nods understanding but slightly confused, “That’s cool, Lena, but why are you telling me about it?”

Lena takes a long, steady breath, “I want you to write about it,”

“I- I still don’t understand? Why would I write about this? Snapper won’t run a story that I’ve just written.”

Lena shakes her head, “I want you to write it for L-Corp. For our website. You would interview the scientists that worked on it, and write about the process and end product. As well as the people who use one. It’ll be the announcement for the product, for when we begin using them in rehabilitation centres,” Lena explains, “We’ll pay you of course, whatever you get paid right now for an article we can triple it,”

Kara’s shocked, “Why me? Surely there are better writers out there who are more fit to do something like this? I mean, I really appreciate this, but I don’t know if I’m right for it. And you don’t need to pay me triple what I get now, that’s- I mean, that's way too much.”

“Kara, there’s no one better for this job than you, I’ve read what you’ve written and I can’t imagine anyone better for the job than you. Obviously you don’t have to if you don’t want to, but let me explain what else you could do. After this initial article, if you wanted, we could keep you on to do similar things with all the projects we run. That includes the internships and the bigger projects that are drawn up and manufactured. We can figure out your pay later,”

Kara had no idea what to say, it was an amazing opportunity, exactly what she wanted to write about, potentially life changing things that she would get first look at. Not only would she be doing what she loved, but she would also be the first person writing about it, it was an honour to even be considered for something like this. This would surely get her name on the map, and she’d finally make her way up. 

Kara circled around the arm, it was almost scary, how realistic it was to see the silvery, mechanical muscles, moving and interacting in the same way as a real arm would. She looked over to the leg, the same small tentacles in the dip at the top of the leg as in the shoulder area of the arm, except the outside was coated in a thin layer of something, that made the leg look even more realistic, even the texture of the skin changed as she looked down it.

Kara glanced up to Lena, who was already looking at her, although Lena’s eyes looked at her slightly differently this time, Kara wouldn’t place what it was but it made her skin feel like it was on fire, instead of thinking too much about it, she asked,realising how long she had been quiet, “What’s the skin made of?” 

“Is that a yes?” Lena asked, smiling a little bit, that look in her eyes clearly wasn’t going anywhere.

Kara bit her bottom lip, and nodded, trying to contain her excitement and failing when Lena mirrored her excited smile, and pulled her in for a hug, Kara’s skin set fire at the feeling of Lena’s body up against hers. She was too excited to consider why.

\---

Kara had spent the past week in a daze.

She had spent as little time as possible churning out half-hearted articles about whatever Snapper wanted her to cover, her lunches in L-Corp, talking to their scientists about their prosthetic or to Lena when she noticed the girl in the labs. Both of them had a jab at the other for skipping lunch.

Then Kara spent the evenings with Lena. Arguably her favourite part of the day, because her and Lena could catch up, eat together, and then crash together on the sofas.

As the weather creeped into winter, they had taken to sitting together on a sofa, covered with a blanket. As the both of them worked extra hard, they also seemed to lose the ability to get to their beds to sleep. They had woken up tangled together more than once, usually Kara would be half on top of Lena, and luckily could get her legs untangled from Lena’s before she woke up. Kara was very much a cuddler, but she had no idea about how Lena would feel about being pressed so close to Kara that they were basically sharing breath.

This morning was no different, Kara woke up to the orange sun shining in through the big windows, and the smell of Lena’s hair, both of her legs slotted in between Lena’s. One of Kara’s arms was over the top of Lena and hanging off the side of the sofa, and the other was squashed between the two of them. 

Kara took a moment to just look at Lena, she seemed the same as when she was ill, but her cheeks had a redness in them that made her look so much less delicate. Even asleep, she was soft but sure. All of her features were defined, but less set than they usually are. Lena was really beautiful. The kind of beautiful that everyone realised, but didn’t admire perhaps as much as they should.

This morning compared to others, Kara had no desire to get up off of the sofa, something about the sun, and Lena’s warmth against her just made her feel like she was at home. Kara realised with a start that she had never been so comfortable with someone before, except Alex, Eliza, and Jerimiah. But even with them, Kara had never felt like she couldn’t go a day without touching any of them. Even a brush of their hands was enough to wake Kara up in the middle of the day.

In one fell swoop, Kara realised how she really felt about her best friend. 

Best friend.

It was much more than that now.

She needed to get out.

Kara pushed herself up, trying not to wake Lena’s sleeping form. She quickly got changed into her workout gear and shot off a text to Alex, asking her to meet at the park.

She took a quick look at Lena before she left, still sleeping, peaceful and soft as ever. Kara rolled her eyes at herself, sighed and made her way to the park.

\---

“Oh god, how did I not realise earlier?” Kara groaned. Kara met Alex in the park after a short, quick run to get to Alex as quickly as possible to talk about her new-found feelings.

After meeting Alex and explaining her situation in detail, Alex kindly explained to her that she has had feelings for Lena for much longer than she realised.

“I truly don’t know, Kara,” Alex said, sliding an arm around her in emotional support, “I was kind of upset you hadn’t told me about your crush, but now I know that you didn’t know you had one I don’t mind so much,”

“What?! You thought I knew about this?”

Alex laughed, “Yes, Kara I did think that you knew about your own feelings. I mean did you not see yourself at game night, you were looking at her the way I look at Kelly,”

Kara groaned again, “Alex, what am I supposed to do! Should I tell her? What if she doesn’t like me back? Oh, god, what if she does like me!”

Alex laughed, “If she likes you then that’s great, if she doesn’t then you can figure it out from there. You will have to tell her eventually, I’ll be honest with you there,”

Kara sighed, Lena must be awake by now, maybe wondering where she was. They had agreed to take a day off together, because both of them had been working much too hard. Kara didn’t know how she was supposed to act around Lena now that she knew how she feels about her. What great timing to realise she has a crush. 

“Let’s distract you, come on, tell me more about your awesome new job,” Alex said, pulling her up from the bench and urging her to run on with her. Kara obliged, thanking the universe for giving her the best sister out there.

\---

When Kara finally got home, she had run a few miles with Alex and then home again, with music blasting in her ears. As she opened the front door, she couldn’t help but notice that Lena had left the couch. Checking that her coat was gone, she realised that Lena must’ve gone out somewhere.

Kara pretended to herself that she wasn’t disappointed.

She sang along to the song playing in her ears, and took her running jacket off to reveal her sports bra, realising how sweaty the warm apartment was making her. As she poured out a cup of coffee for herself, and then decided to make one for Lena as well, she felt eyes on her.

Turning around, Lena was staring at her comically from across the kitchen island, then gave her a little wave. Kara noticed the slight flushed look on her face, figuring it was from the cold. Kara pulled out her ear phones.

“You smile like you’re hiding something, while you’re dancing with the radio off,” Lena said slowly, Kara frowned.

“I’m sorry?” Kara said, confused.

Lena laughed, Kara thought that if her being confused made Lena laugh like that then she didn’t need to understand anything, “The lyrics you just sang?”

“Oh, right- sorry, I didn’t think you were here,”

“Don’t apologise, you have a great voice, the song sounded good too. You shouldn’t have the volume up so high you know,” Lena told her.

Kara shrugged, “It helps me focus when I run,” Kara said, at those words she realised she still didn’t have a proper top on, she was essentially just standing in a bra in front of Lena, “Thats, uh, that’s why I don’t have a top on.”

The way Lena quickly glanced down at her body made the hair on the back of her neck stand up, “Right,” Lena paused for a beat, revealing a bag of takeaway breakfast, “I got you waffles,”

Kara sighed in relief, “Oh, you are the best, Lena Luthor,”

Lena smiled again, that smile would never not make her stomach flip, Kara realised, “I’m well aware.”

\---

Kara ate her waffles, and Lena revealed she only bought a green smoothie for herself, so Kara insisted she have some of her waffles.

Kara had a shower and changed her clothes, deciding on her best comfy casual attire that still highlighted her legs and arms. If she was going to have a crush on her roommate she was going to at least give it her all.

Now, Kara was sitting at the kitchen island at 2 in the afternoon when she finished her article for L-Corp, “I’m done!” Kara put her all into this article, it was important to her, and it was for Lena’s company, so it was probably the most important thing that she’d written in months. She wanted it to be perfect for Lena, but also make the reader interested, and give out all the necessary facts about the project. It was hard, but Kara was always up for the challenge.

Lena looked up from her phone confused, “Finished what?”

Kara made her way over to Lena, who was sitting at the dining table, “Your article.”

Lena slapped her arm playfully, “Kara, we said no work today! It’s a day off for a reason,”

Kara rolled her eyes, “Lena I know you’ve been working as well, I recognise that crinkle in your forehead. It’s a work crinkle,” Kara pressed against the crinkle on her forehead as it disappeared.

Lena huffed and batted Kara’s hand away, “Can I read it?”

Kara was a little nervous, regardless of how many times she had read over the article, she didn’t think Lena would want to read it in front of her. She nodded through the nerves, and handed over her laptop.

A few painful minutes went past, she took a seat next to Lena, reading along with her and trying to sneak peaks at her to see if she liked it or not. Lena’s steely work face gave away no secrets. Kara couldn’t help but realise how much more stiff she looked when she was awake compared to when she was sleeping.

Beautiful either way.

Soon, Lena closed the laptop and turned to her, and Kara realised she was just staring at Lena for much too long.

Lena’s green eyes locked on hers, and neither one of them looked away.

Lena was so close, inches away. Kara didn’t realise how close she was until that moment. And her senses were full of Lena. It was citrus, and it was warm breath, and it was much, much too close. But it was so good, and Kara didn’t want to move away from her at all. Lena’s breath smelled like coffee and syrup, it should be gross, being so close to someone that she can smell their morning. Her eyes had never seemed so clear and sharp. Kara noticed a single stray hair falling down in front of one of Lena’s eyes and she wondered if Lena could feel it.

Kara gulped, and knew she should say something.

Lena got up very quickly, startling Kara, and snapped Kara out of her trance. Kara blinked a few times as Lena walked off towards the windows.

Kara’s mind screamed at her mouth to move, say something, anything.

“Kara, that was amazing, perfect.”

Kara breathed out, the article, right, “Really? Did I miss anything?”

Lena shook her head, “I don’t think so, send it to my team and they’ll look over it too but it’s really, really great. I knew you could do it.” Lena seemed so proud of her.

Kara got up and pulled Lena into a hug, “I’m so glad you liked it,”

Kara savoured the touch, feeling Lena’s arms around her waist, even though she craved more from Lena.

\---

Once it had gotten to around 5 the sun started setting, and the sunset was particularly beautiful. Orange and yellow and purple danced across the sky, with a red sun burning in the middle. The light was absorbed by the nearby clouds, emphasising the darkening sky, and the yellow that it battled with.

Kara sat on the floor with a pile of blankets drawing it with her pastels while Lena made them dinner. It was domestic, and Kara wondered if she should be enjoying it so much, or if she should be trying to fight the feeling that they had been in a relationship for months.

Lena was humming something in the kitchen, nothing that Kara recognised, but she was sure it was by an old-timey composer.

Lena stopped humming, and Kara missed it.

After a moment, “What was that song you were listening to this morning?” Lena asked from the kitchen.

“Its called, ‘Feels so nice’, by a band called The Wrecks.”

“Can you play it?”

Kara didn’t know why Lena would be so interested in such a song. It wasn’t exactly on the same wavelength as the Mozart that Lena seemed to enjoy. Regardless, Kara wordlessly opened her phone and played it out loud.

It was an interesting piece of music, but not exactly a classic. Kara appreciated it for the chaos that seemed to come through it, the howling in the background and the drums that seemed to force her to move which contrasted with some of the verses that featured the simple guitar.

Before Kara knew it, she was swaying in her spot on the ground to the beat, turning the song up on her phone.

Before she could lose her nerve and decide not to, Kara jumped up, singing along to the song as she turned around to face Lena, who was already watching her, “ _You’re like a Dylan song, kinda perfect, kinda soft to the touch_ ,” Kara moved to Lena as she sung the words, ignoring the blush on Lena’s cheeks.

Kara moved over to where Lena was smiling at her, looking at her with what could only be considered admiration in her eyes. Kara didn’t notice that though, she was too busy finding Lena’s hands and grabbing them to make her sway along with her to the song.

Lena seemed apprehensive at first, so Kara pushed and pulled her hands, inadvertently making Lena move around. Lena laughed again, enjoying how Kara was letting herself go, moving her whole body around like a fool.

“ _But I like that, yeah, I like that,_ ” Kara sang some more, leading the two of them to the open space between the kitchen and their sitting area.

Lena let herself go some more, moving her shoulders along with her arms, then moving her hips side to side along with Kara. Kara let go of her hands and bent her knees, slowly moving towards the ground, keeping eye contact with Lena, whose eye seemed to widen a little before Kara reversed the action and took Lena’s hands back when she was standing fully.

“ _As I stand there, thinking this might be love,_ ” Kara kept singing, Lena laughed at her again.

Kara couldn’t ask for more in that moment, Lena laughing with her, or maybe at her. Hand in hand with the most beautiful woman she’d ever seen, Kara twirled her around, under her arm and pressed the two of them together with their arms outstretched as the song carried on, for a second, this was all Kara really needed.

The citrus smell, and the sound of Lena laughing at them.

They stayed there for a moment, swaying too fast for it to be considered romantic, but so close that it made Kara wonder if she was just making up the tension in the room or if Lena felt it too.

Kara pushed away from her at the swell of the song, letting herself go, and noticing Lena was doing the same thing. She must admit that she was proud of herself that she could get Lena to do the same. Kara fleetingly thought about how foolish they must look, spinning in circles, flailing around and calling it dancing. She didn’t care enough to dwell on it.

“ _We could live just like this if you want to,_ ”

The song finished it’s last verse or two while Kara and Lena stopped dancing, breathless in the dark now that the sun had gone down. She could hear Lena’s panting breath a few feet away from her. Kara didn’t dare listen too closely.

The tension stuck around between them, the air full of what could happen, what they might do, what Kara so desperately wanted to at that moment.

Before she could do anything, Kara said, laughing, “Good song, right?”

Lena laughed along with her, “Yes, I can understand why you like to run to it.”

Lena walked toward her, seeing her form move in the dark, Kara’s heart rate picked up slightly. Lena was walking up to her with such purpose, that Kara couldn’t help but wonder if Lena was about to-

Lena grabbed her hand, “Come on, food’s all done.” Lena flicked on the lightswitch, revealing their red faces.

\---

Lena lay in bed that night considering the song that Kara had played for them, the lines she had sung, and the ones she had not. The song was undoubtedly a declaration of love, from one person to the other. Lena knew that she had feelings for Kara, but it was surely too soon to be calling them love.

Besides, Kara had been the one to sing to Lena, who dared not think of the moment too much. Kara had been looking at her in such a way that made Lena think that maybe the girl could reciprocate her feelings. 

Lena had wanted to kiss Kara one too many times as they danced, as she sang Lena could only laugh, she had to do something - Lena feared if she didn’t laugh then she would end up kissing Kara, and that wasn’t something she could handle the repercussions of right now. 

Really, Lena just wanted to stand and watch Kara dancing. Kara’s legs looked too good to be real in the shorts she had picked out to wear, even though it was the middle of winter, seeing Kara’s body ripple as she danced had done too much to her, making her stomach warm in ways she didn’t want to admit.

But Lena knew, if she didn’t dance, then Kara would lose her nerve, and not dance at all. She would rather dance along as well as she could than not see Kara move around like she was really, truly enjoying herself. Seeing Kara dance was like watching a bird fly, natural, happy, uncontainable. Something that Lena could watch for as long as she could, or as long as a friend could without being creepy.

This whole day had been unbelievable for Lena. Starting with waking up on the sofa again, jostled by Kara as she tries to move without waking her up. Lena appreciated it, but her unconscious body missed Kara’s presence and woke her up immediately when she got up. Lena liked that, feeling Kara move around her, caring so much to not wake Lena up to the point that she didn’t even notice the hitch in Lena’s breath when she stretched with her back to her. Lena always let her eyes flutter shut after that, letting sleep get her one last time before Kara made her way to the kitchen.

But when she woke up and Kara wasn’t around, Lena had decided to get breakfast for the both of them on their well deserved day off. Which seemed like a great idea, until she came back and Kara was singing along to some song in the kitchen without a shirt on.

Kara was just wandering around the kitchen like it was totally normal and acceptable to not have a shirt on. Sure, she was in one of those bras that was technically a top, but when it revealed Kara’s back and shoulders, and those abs, it made Lena weak in the knees.

But she just watched, like a fool.

Nothing better to do than watch.

How long until it got weird?

Why was her face so warm? She’d seen muscles before.

Then when Kara turned around she acted like it was funny, like listening to Kara sing was just a normal day to day thing that didn't make her mouth go all dry.

After finally, finally getting past the morning there was the whole article situation, reading the words that Kara wrote about the work that her employees were doing, how she had talked about L-Corp in such an adoring way, like she was doing real good. Lena was making a difference, she wasn’t just doing her job, not just telling people what to make and how to make it, she was achieving something.

Then Kara’s face was so close, and she was so open, her eyes so wide, waiting for Lena to say something and smelling so sweet like honey. She knew she had to say something, and Lena knew she wanted to hear that her article was good, and that she had done a great job, and Kara had, but Lena wanted to know that her wide eyes were for Lena, not for her opinion on an article.

Lena couldn’t think of a thing except how Kara really might think that she’s a good person, and she was so beautiful. 

She stood, and remembered that this was work, it's a work thing.

Lena let sleep take her, and thought of Kara.

\---

Kara had taken a full time job at L-Corp. Working closely with their engineers, scientists, bio-engineers, and a bunch of other super smart people. Lena had told her that even the interns had all gone to MIT. It would be intimidating for Kara, if she wasn’t so into the work she was doing.

She was writing more than ever, and more into it than she had been for months compared to the time she had been working at Catco. Getting to hand in her notice to Snapper had been great, and when he asked what she was going to do instead had been even better. Telling it to his face that she was moving up and seeing his reaction was all worth it. All the boring writing, all the millenial-based insults, all the ‘Ponytails’ and patronising, she finally threw it in his face.

Of course, working with so many great minds at L-Corp did sometimes have its downsides. A few of the more senior staff members obviously thought that being a writer didn’t hold up to being a scientist, but after one of them didn’t realise that Lena was right behind them in the labs was nothing short of hilarious. Especially after the man has just snapped at Kara for ‘getting in my way, I’m doing important work here, you know’.

Seeing Lena use her CEO voice, explaining that Kara’s work was what got his on the map made her flush in ways she couldn’t explain, nor did she want to.

Lena turned and got back to her own work, which was, according to her, “Super secret and confidential,” with a wink that almost made Kara faint. Even after Kara had explained back to her what she was hired to do. And then Lena would call her Darling and Kara wouldn’t think straight for 5 minutes, so instead she retreated into her office, put her head in her hands and let out a little groan.

\---

Another game night, again being held at Lena and Kara’s apartment. Kara did argue that they had just held game night twice, but apparently having the ‘coolest apartment ever’ according to Alex and Winn, means that you have to hold game night double the amount of everyone else. Kara would be annoyed about it, but seeing Lena get so excited about having people over again is probably the most adorable thing she’s seen in a while. Even if she had to stop Lena from buying out a whole shelf of snacks for them all.

Lena is convinced otherwise, after negotiating with Kara with her CEO voice, they settle for 3 bags of chips, a tub of ice cream, and two bottles of wine. Kara wouldn’t think about how the CEO voice made her mind spin, and Lena got away with the extra bag of chips.

Now, they were once again sitting around Winn playing charades, Kara was still laughing her head off after seeing Alex try and play out ‘bath time’ which looked like she was doing an airplane.

“Alright, Kara, darling,” Lena started, putting an arm around Kara’s waist to still her, “If we want to Winn, you have to focus,”

Kara couldn’t focus on anything except the warm hand that had settled a little bit too low to be considered friendly on her waist. She cleared her throat, “Right, yes, okay, Winn go for it.”

Kara could hear Alex giggling from the other sofa, and tried her best not to shoot her a glare. The teasing had been incessant, after she told Alex about her crush on Lena she had been supportive, of course, but after the wave of realisation had simmered down Alex had been sure to tease her. Usually it was little prods, about ‘how Lena looked in bed this morning’, followed up with a swift, ‘shut up, Alex’, without mentioning the fact that even though they don’t share a bed they certainly share a couch more frequently than friends normally would. 

Soon enough, Lena was calling out, “Using a blender!” A little too loudly in her ear, and Kara realised where she was again.

Winn was doing some strange slow motion with his arms, while moving his feet strangely, so Kara couldn’t help but turn to Lena, “Blender? What part of that is blender!”

Lena turned her face to Kara, a little too close to comfort, and Kara couldn’t help but glance down quickly, but Lena didn’t notice that, surely. Or maybe she did, because Lena seemed really clo-

“Hello?” Winn snapped his fingers in front of them, “If you two could focus that would be great, you know.”

Lena turned away and cleared her throat and seemed to look at Winn angrily, if his face and the way he recoiled was any indicator she most likely did, while someone wolf whistled opposite them, and Kara stuck her tongue out to them all. Alex once again chuckled quietly to herself, before seeming to pity Kara and declaring, “Okay, I think that means we should take a break, who wants another drink?”

They all called out some form of positive response, and Kara jumped up to give Alex a hand.

\---

The night was once more simmering down, Lena was feeling a little warm from the scotch that had settled low in her stomach and reaching the tips of her fingers. Kara, Alex and Kelly had retreated to the kitchen once more, all of them chatting in an animated way that Lena couldn’t help but laugh at. It was times like this that Lena could see the similarities in Kara and Alex, she fleetingly wondered which one of the sisters picked up what from the other.

“You fallen for the Danvers charm too, huh?” A voice spoke up beside her. She hadn’t even noticed the couch lower with the weight of the person sitting next to her.

Lena turns to the person, finding James’ warm smile and kind, knowing eyes. She hadn’t thought that she was being so obvious, the alcohol must have gotten to her more than she had thought, because the first thought that had come to mind wasn’t to deny the feelings.

She hums, “I suppose she’s good company.”

James laughs, a quiet, almost pitiful thing, and Lena wonders if she really looked that lovesick.

“Good company, sure. I was talking more about the inevitable crush that you have,” James says, as if he can see right into her brain.

Lena’s brain catches up to her mouth before she can say something foolish, “Crush?” If she was going to talk to anyone about her feelings it certainly wouldn’t be James. To be honest, who would she even talk to them about? She couldn’t confide in Kara, that would be complicated to say the least. Lena managed to get through a lot more than feelings on her own, this would be a cake walk.

James laughs once more, “Right, right. Well if it makes you feel any better, it's not unrequited. You don’t see the way she looks at you when you aren’t looking,” with that, he takes his leave.

Lena wants to be mad, someone she doesn’t know terribly well coming up to her to tell her about her own feelings, about her life. It’s not like it’s his place, but the alcohol in her system and the fact that he’s right anyway almost makes her want to call him back and talk about what the hell he means about the way she looks at her.

The way she looks at her?

Had that really been what he said? 

It was fleeting, as though he was telling her a secret, quiet and understated. Like the situation was so simple, that all it needed was a few words to encompass their situation. Like Lena could walk upto Kara, standing in the kitchen with a glass of red wine and kiss her and she would kiss her back and that would be that. Kara would look at her with her blue eyes wide, and maybe wisps of her hair would brush against Lena’s cheeks as she lent in. Maybe Kara would smile into it, and maybe Lena would too. Maybe Kara’s hand would tangle in her hair and maybe, maybe, maybe.

Perhaps she could, perhaps she could get up right now.

Lena’s leg twitches involuntarily, like it had made the decision for her.

Another body settles besider her, she looks over and sees Winn, smiling at her and moving his mouth.

Lena reminds herself that he’s probably speaking and she’s supposed to listen. She tips the rest of her scotch down her throat and talks.

\---

It’s sunday, December 4th, and it’s the worst day of the year.

It’s been 3 years since Lex went to prison and her mother disappeared, and she was left alone with a company.

Of course, she takes the day off. It wouldn’t do anyone any good if she went into work, her fuse shorter than usual, and a bit more ruthless. Lena wants to lie in bed and do nothing, but there isn’t a bone in her body that thinks she would really do that. All that would get her is wallowing in her own pain, or sadness, or something else that made her feel alone. That’s what this day means to her, the day that she was really left alone. Her family hadn’t been the best, anyone with any sense could see that, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t miss them. Lena misses her family in the way that means she would have company if she needed it, and that she always had someone to talk to. It’s an empty space now, and it hurts.

Lena drags herself up out of bed, and takes her hot shower for a few minutes more. She does her make up a little more fancy than usual, to feel that little bit better about herself. She dresses a bit more comfortably, because she knows she deserves it.

As she makes breakfast, hearing Kara moving around her bedroom quietly, she goes through her options. The past 2 years, she’s gone somewhere to think, being winter, it would be quiet on hiking trails or forests so she would go there. It helped to have somewhere to think, even if she didn’t want to. It was always better than the city, which seemed full to the brim with noise on this day.

“Hey, you got a day off today too?” Kara says quietly, as she always does when she has yet to have her coffee.

Lena nods, watching her do her usual morning breakfast routine, “Yes,”

Before Lena can reconsider, she asks Kara, “Are you doing anything today?” Usually she would want to be left alone today, but something tells her she should bring Kara today. Spending time with her always makes Lena feel better after all, and Lena isn’t sure she wants to be totally on her own when Kara’s right there in front of her. 

Kara spins on her heels, “Nothing at all,” She says, beaming as though there would be nothing better.

Lena leans forward, putting her elbows on the island she’s sitting in front of, “Do you want to go to the beach?”

Kara laughs, “You know it’s the middle of winter, don’t you?”

“I think it’ll be nice to get out. We’ll wrap up warm, I’ll drive us,” Lena says, biting her lip in anticipation.

Kara glances to the window, possibly checking for clouds, “Rain’s not forecast until this evening,” Lena chimes in.

Kara looks at her quizzically, “How do you always know what I’m thinking?”

Lena raises her eyebrows quickly and winks, “I know all,”

Kara rolls her eyes, and Lena wants to think she might not be imagining the way the tips of her ears go red, “You’ll drive?” Lena nods, “Give me 5 minutes to get dressed,”

\---

It’s cold, windy, the sun seems really bright, the sea is so loud, and the sand keeps getting in her eyes.

Luckily, Lena convinced her to bring her wooly hat and gloves, so she’s not cold. Kara wonders if she would even be cold if she was standing there naked because the way that Lena’s looking at her right now is warming her up from top to toe.

Lena’s in front of her with a deep red coat, a big black scarf wrapped around her neck, her hair blowing behind her, the tip of her nose is a bit red, and her green eyes are crinkling with her smile.

Kara can’t think of anything better she’s seen.

Lena hadn’t told her why they were going to the beach, although Kara supposes there doesn’t have to be a reason. But something about Lena had seemed sad, her shoulders had slumped slightly in a way that was a bit too off for a regular day off. They hadn’t spoken much on the drive down, and where Lena would generally make a sarcastic comment she hadn’t. It took everything in Kara’s power not to ask her what’s wrong. Lena tells her things when she wants to, Kara doesn’t want to press, she just wants Lena to be comfortable.

So they walk in the quiet, the sea and the sand framing them, the sound of waves accompanies them. Perhaps they walk a little too close, because their hands brush a few times and Kara makes a note of how Lena doesn’t move away. Kara wonders if that’s because she’s cold, or if maybe she doesn’t want to. Maybe the feeling of Kara’s hand sparks up Lena’s arm in the same way it does to Kara.

They end up on the top of a cliff, Lena looks out into the sea with a look in her eyes that Kara has only seen on her own face. It’s the look of loneliness that she would wear for months after she lost her parents, wondering if she had done something wrong to deserve this, or if this was just a bad dream, perhaps a cruel trick played by the universe.

Kara knows she’s been looking at Lena for a little while, but when Lena looks to her she doesn’t look away in embarrassment. A silence between them stretches, and neither of them fill it. There’s an understanding that doesn’t need words. Kara looks away first, as hard as it is to look away from Lena, she does anyway, so that she can muster up the courage to grab Lena’s hand.

Lena doesn’t seem to want to at first, and Kara wonders if she made a mistake, but when Lena laces their fingers together and squeezes, Kara knows she did that right.

Kara doesn’t know how long passes, they both stare at the sea, shivering slightly and attached at the hands.

“You know, I don’t think I’ve ever known someone like you before.” Lena says, smooth and honest.

Kara laughs a little, “What do you mean?”

Lena looks at her, like she has one hundred things to say but she doesn’t know which one to choose, Kara wants to tell her to say it all.

“You’re something else, you know. I was so lonely, I didn’t really have anyone to talk to. I have Sam, but we were so busy with work, and she has Ruby - her daughter - that I never saw her.” Lena pauses, “I wanted a friend when I put that ad up, but I didn’t think I’d get someone like you, maybe someone to fill the quiet, to talk to about work, to complain to, but no one like you,” Lena turns to look at her, “You’re more than anyone could ask for,” 

Kara smiles at her, “I’m just doing what anyone should, this is what a friend does,”

Lena chuckles, almost disbelieving, “I never knew anyone who would stand on the beach in the winter with me for,” Lena checks her watch, “Thirty minutes, saying nothing,”

Kara squeezes her hand, “Well, you’ve got one now,”

“You’re not even going to ask me why?” Lena says incredulously. 

Kara picks her next words carefully, “You don’t need to, I understand,”

Lena nods, and pulls Kara in for a hug, an easy, warm, citrus hug.

\---

By the time they get to the apartment, it's raining.

Kara ordered them chinese, and they ate like they always do, but slightly more sombre. Kara doesn’t have a problem with that, of course, but the extra stretches of silence make room for Kara’s thoughts.

Treacherous thoughts that convince Kara that she has to tell Lena about her feelings.

She can’t stand another moment of looking at Lena and not being able to kiss her, it doesn’t seem physically possible. Kara wants all of the moments they share to be punctuated comfortably with kisses, to be able to hold Lena’s hand and not wonder if she’s overstepped a boundary, to be able to sleep in the same bed and not feel like she needs to use the excuse that they just were so tired.

Kara doesn’t know how she’s lasted so long, looking at her when she has the sun in her eyes, and they glow, or when she’s just come home and her shoulders droop a little, or when she flits around the kitchen, or when she rolls her eyes, or when she presses her lips together, or when she runs her hands through her hair.

So Kara has to say something.

When Lena looks at her sadly that evening and tells her that she has to sleep Kara really considers just yelling it at her, that she has a big, unmanageable crush on her. But Lena seems tired, and Kara couldn’t do that to her, another thing to have on her plate, when she’s just spent the day mourning her family.

Kara huffs, stretching out on the sofa, and stares at the ceiling, wondering if there would ever be a perfect moment to tell Lena. Was this something that Kara could plan? Would she lay out rose petals for when Lena gets home, or leave her flowers? Or a note? A text?

Not a text, Kara rolls her eyes at herself.

When Lena comes out of her room later, Kara wonders how long she’d been laying on that sofa, because Lena’s hairs messed up, and the bags under her eyes seem so much more prominent.

So uncontrollably beautiful.

Softly, Kara asks, “You okay?”

Softer, “I can’t sleep,”

“Oh,”

Still from her doorway, “Will you stay with me until I do?”

“Sure,”

Kara gets up, hopefully not looking too eager to be close to Lena.

In her bed.

Lena shuffles underneath the covers as Kara walks into her room, and folds them open as an invite. The bed smells just like Lena, citrus and sweet. Kara’s always been a cuddler, so when Lena tucks herself next to Kara, laying on her side and hugging Kara like a koala, she just sinks into it and lays there comfortably.

After a minute, “Thanks,”

“Of course,”

Kara strokes Lena’s hair in the dark, wondering if people always fit together this well.

Maybe there is a perfect moment, because this seems just right.

The words lay on Kara’s tongue, although it seems like they’ve been sitting there all day waiting for Kara to pluck up the courage to just say them. 

Right now, sitting in the dark, with the warmth of Lena’s body next to her, she feels pretty courageous.

So softly, the words drop out of her, “Lena, I really like you. I think I’ve liked you from the first time you smiled at me. And, and I mean, like _like_ you, more than I even knew I could like anyone,”

Before Kara can let herself say anything else, before she can start rambling on and on about how Lena makes her feel, a small, dainty, very un-Lena snore comes out of Lena.

Kara blinks in the dark, “Lena?” She whispers slightly louder.

Lena’s unconscious response is to nussle into Kara’s neck.

She’s asleep.

Kara just admitted her feelings to someone who is asleep.  
“Of course,” Kara huffs, and Lena groans a little in response, still deep in her slumber.

Not the perfect moment, Kara supposes, if the person you’re talking to isn’t aware of anything going on around her.

\---

The next morning, Lena wakes up surprisingly refreshed, and oddly warm. She realises the weight around her when she tries to get up, Kara’s arm is draped over her, her hand delicately resting under her chin. Then, Lena becomes infinitely too aware of Kara’s leg, slipped in between her own perhaps an inch or two too high to really feel platonic.

Lena’s alarm has yet to go off, instead of slipping back to sleep in Kara’s warm embrace she chooses to worm her way out and jump in the shower, savouring how the warm water pours over herself.

_I think I’ve liked you from the first time you smiled at me._

The phrase pops into her mind like a, well, like a dream.

Lena can’t manage to put it together, she can’t remember what she was dreaming, or who said it. Lena wasn’t one for sappy anything, especially not dreams. Like anyone, she had her fair share of dreams that made it a little bit harder to look someone in the eye. There was Sam, when they had first met, Veronica, before she revealed herself to be one step away from evil. Most recently there was Kara, but there had seldom been any declaration of love in any of those dreams.

So why was it that this phrase popped into her mind while she was asleep, she couldn’t understand.

Lena had fallen asleep moments after Kara had gotten into bed with her. Wrapped around the girl like she was her saving grace. She had always had trouble sleeping, but more since her and Kara had started to share the couch. This, paired with the day she lost her family, it felt like she wouldn’t ever be able to get her mind to stop racing around.

Lena had thought Kara would laugh at her, chuckle with a mean edge, but when the girl smiled at her with a sense of understanding she realised how foolish it was to think that Kara could react in any other way.

Lena wonders if maybe it was herself talking in the dream.

_I think I’ve liked you from the first time you smiled at me._

It wouldn’t quite make sense, in the context of Lena’s feelings. Lena hadn’t had feelings for Kara when she first smiled at her, although it was a beautiful smile, Lena had been drawn to Kara’s warmth, her genuine desire to be good and do good. Kara had an ability to want the best for people, take care of a girl she didn’t really know when she was ill.

Also, Lena could admit that her body was tremendous. Wide shoulders, strong arms, muscular legs, all things that really made Lena weak in the knees. Honestly it’s a blessing that it’s the middle of winter, because Lena knows she wouldn’t be able to handle Kara in a tank top and shorts.

The mere thought made her warm to the core.

Perhaps it’s not the best idea to dive into such thoughts while Kara’s sleeping in her own bed.

Still, the phrase lurks in her mind, but realising that she had been in the shower for nearly 15 minutes, Lena decides against contemplating her feelings, and instead getting ready for whatever gruelling work day is ahead of her.

\---

For the next week snow drops consistently. For California it makes no sense whatsoever, but that doesn't stop Kara from trying to have a snowball fight with everyone she comes across. Those people being Lena, Alex, Nia, Lena and Lena.

The first few times, while they make their way to their cars for work Lena uses the excuse that there's not enough snow on the ground to have a real snowball fight, and distracts Kara with tales of when the Luthors would take family trips to Vancouver for the skiing. Which works, but there are only so many times that you can tell one story. And Kara still manages to throw a ball past Lena's head and onto her car, grinning when Lena throws a mean look back at her, or at least it's supposed to be mean.

As the snow begins to pile up, Lena decides that the snow isn't sticky enough to make a snowball. "It's just powder, Kara!" And yet, Kara still manages to lob a misshapen ball at her feet, giggling when Lena shrieks a little too loud.

And then, when the snow is sticky and heavy enough, they need the crucial extra few minutes that it would take to have a snowball fight to get to work, “We have to drive slower, it’s not safe,” but Kara still throws a ball, hitting Lena’s hand as she reaches for the car door handle. Lena questions for a moment how Kara’s aim is so good, but when she turns to Kara her sunshine smile is too much to handle, and Lena can’t remember what she was supposed to ask in the first place.

Eventually, Lena gives in. But not without an advantage. If she’s going to be having a snowball fight, she’s going to win.

They make their way to the car slowly, Lena drags her feet slightly slower, allowing Kara an extra bit of distance in front of her. Then, audibly huffs, and starts to rummage through her purse in an exaggerated way. When Kara turns back to Lena and stares, Lena tells her, “Carry on to the car, I might’ve forgotten something,”

Kara frowns and turns around again, once Lena looks quickly over to her to make sure that she’s really going to the car, she crouches to the ground and begins bundling up some snow into a ball. 

Lena wouldn’t admit to it, but she’s never done this before. She’s never had a snowball fight, never made a snowball, never made a snowman, hell, she wasn’t even allowed a snow day.

So as she starts to pile the snow into her bare palms, she figures that it will do. So she stands up, holding the ball in one hand, and quickly brushes off her knees with the other. Just as she prepares to lob the ball, a voice loudly calls out-

“Don’t even think about it,”

Kara is nowhere to be seen. Lena tenses slightly, with no idea where Kara could be in the car park.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Lena says sweetly, with her arm tense behind her, ready to fire. She turns slowly in circles, making her way to her car, and scanning the general area for any sign of movement.

“Lena, I’ve done this before,” Kara starts, Lena whips her head toward where Kara’s voice is coming from, “You have no chance!”

Lena laughs, acting the supervillian, “Then come out and face me like a man!”

Through laughs that she is clearly trying to suppress, “Le- Lena, neither of us are men,”

Lena chuckles quietly and inches her way to the car that she believes Kara’s hiding behind, moving her feet slowly. Kara’s voice rings out again, “I know you’re there,”

Lena doesn’t speak, slowly rounding the car to where Kara is hiding. She pauses, then quickly jumps around and throws her snowball with her eyes squeezed shut - her first mistake. The snow ball lands with a dull thump and a lack of delighted scream from Kara. 

Lena opens her eyes and with a wince, notices the lack of Kara anywhere around. Lena spins around in her place, incredulous at the disappearance of the girl - her second mistake. As she turns, an ice cold ball lands square in her face, her mouth drops open, with her eyes closed once more, and snow drips down her face and neck.

Kara gasps, seemingly shocked at her own actions, “Oh my god! Lena why did you turn around?”

Lena opens her eyes to the sight of a distraught Kara with her hand hovering over her mouth, though Lena can see the smile playing on her lips, and the laughter in her eyes, “You’re fired,” Lena says simply, looking into Kara’s eyes.

The laugh bubbles up in Kara’s throat and bursts out of her, and Lena can’t help but giggle at herself, eventually Kara is doubled over grabbing at her stomach, and Lena laughs along with her.

Until she decides to take the opportunity to scoop up two handfuls of snow in her arms and drop them plainly on the back of Kara’s neck, who gasps out a, “Lena, no!” before jumping around and brushing the snow off of her. This time it’s Lena’s chance to laugh at the girl, who looks fiercely at Lena and says, “I quit,” mocking Lena’s tone from just before.

Kara begins to laugh again, and all Lena can think is _I think I’ve liked you from the first time you smiled at me._

Once they manage to get dry, Lena checks her watch, “Oh, shit, we’re late,”

“Lena you’re the boss, is it even possible to be late?”

\---

When Sunday rolls around, the snow has stopped falling so consistently and begins to melt away, the brown sludge left over bordering the roads and pavements. The sun shines down now, reflecting off of all the snow that is left over and almost blinds anyone who looks too close.

When Lena makes her way out of her room, into the kitchen for her morning coffee. Lena waits patiently for Kara to make her way into the kitchen, knowing that she has the day off today. Lena wonders for a moment why she’s just waiting for Kara, she does have work to do - plenty of emails to work through that she could get a jump on before seeing Kara, but part of her wants her attention to be on Kara as soon as she arrives. As though she’d miss something important if she were to sit here on her phone, even though she knows that Kara will just be walking out of her room dressed as she would on her day off with her hair slightly messier than normal.

Kara walks out of her room as anything but messy hair and plain clothes. It’s like Kara knows what Lena expected and decided consciously decided to prove Lena wrong. Kara’s hair is in a neat plait, circling her hair like a halo, and a loose fitting yellow top that seems to make her glow like nothing else Lena has ever experienced before.

Then she smiles, and _I think I’ve liked you from the first time you smiled at me_ and Lena just wants to get the sentence out of her head because it will not leave her alone and it’s nearly driving her insane.

But then there’s Kara looking at her like she might just be the sun itself and she’s grounded once more, and hears Kara ask, “You want to go for a walk today? I was thinking we could go to the park or something?”

Lena smiles back, “No snowball fights,”

Kara laughs, and nods at her.

\---

After bundling up in her warmest coat, with a fluffy white scarf around her neck, and taking an involuntary moment to admire Lena in her long red coat, and dark green hat and gloves, they set out to the park. 

Kara and Lena walk in silence, and Kara enjoys it. Although she hasn’t been able to stop her thoughts from running around her head for the past week. After the admission of her feelings to a sleeping Lena, Kara had been in conflict. She knew very well that she was capable of telling Lena about her feelings, in words, in person, like she should but part of her wondered if perhaps it was a sign from the universe that Lena wouldn’t reciprocate.

Kara had thought about this for a few days, while she worked, while she slept, while she spoke to Alex. And she almost convinced herself that she was right, Kara had nearly started to push down her feelings. That was until Lena decided to try and throw a snowball at Kara’s back, after days of telling her various half-hearted excuses about why they shouldn’t have a snowball fight. Kara figured that someone who she was supposed to admit her feelings to probably wouldn’t entertain the idea of having a snowball fight at their ages, let alone go out of their way to try and win one. 

When Lena had snow dripping down her face, mouth hanging open, and eyes squeezed shut it had made Kara want to grab her face and kiss her right there. How could she not? Lena was always so beautiful, then when she looked at Kara like she was really having fun, with such ease and delight, Kara couldn’t ask for anything more. 

Except for Lena to want to kiss her back perhaps.

Kara wondered if perhaps Lena did want to kiss her too. There had been a few times that it seemed like she wanted to. When they got a little bit too close, and the air around them seemed to still, Kara could swear that Lena’s eyes would flick down to her lips and linger for a moment but nothing ever seemed to pan out. Kara wondered why.

Kara was pulled back to earth by a dog wandering past them with the owner while Lena cooed softly at it, and realised suddenly that her hand was entwined with Lena’s. Kara didn’t remember either one of them grabbing hold of the other’s hand. Kara wondered if she had done it unconsciously and Lena hadn’t noticed, or if maybe Lena had done it.

Kara swung their hands in an exaggerated way, and skipped a little, making Lena look at her and chuckle, and smile at Kara in that way.

‘That way’ being like she would smile at anyone, at a child in the street, at a dog walking past them, at Kara after she made a silly joke.

Before she could stop herself, Kara said, “I like it when you smile at me,”

Kara almost wanted to put the words back in when she had said them. 

Almost.

But when Lena stopped in her tracks, and her smile faltered slightly, Kara wondered if she had said something wrong, overstepped.

\---

_I like it when you smile at me_

_I think I’ve liked you from the first time you smiled at me_

The words almost ring in her ears.

Almost.

Lena stops in her tracks, and says, “Say that again,”

Kara turned to stand in front of Lena, looking slightly flushed from the cold, and spoke again, “I like it when you smile at me?”

Lena nodded, it seemed too close to be a coincidence, too similar. But how could Kara possibly know something that Lena had dreamt? The phrase was locked away in her mind, she hadn’t even said it out loud, so how would Kara know anything about it? Of course, Lena was aware that outside noise could get into dreams, the amount of times she had dreamt of a bird that sounded just like her alarm clock going off, or of an old witch with a voice like her mother’s scalding her to get up.

Lena looked into Kara’s eyes, blue and sharp, and said, “I had the strangest dream a while ago,” She started, watching Kara for a reaction. 

“Actually, I don’t know if you could even call it a dream, it was just something that I woke up to, knowing I had dreamt it.” Lena leant slightly towards Kara as she said it.

Kara looks from one of Lena’s eyes to the other searching, while Lena does the same, “Just a sentence, a declaration,”

Kara’s cheeks seemed to pinken from more than the cold, and gulped, “Do you know what it was?”

Lena took a small step closer, until they were nearly sharing the same air, and she wondered what would happen if she kissed Kara right now.

Before she could do it, Kara opened her mouth, about to answer, “I think-”

Then they are pushed harshly from one another, a wetness along Lena’s shins makes her skin crawl.

“Sorry!” A woman calls out, running past them and towards the dog that ran between them and split them apart from one another.

Their hands part from where they were comfortably resting entwined, and Lena wonders when that had happened, she certainly didn’t remember reaching out for Kara earlier.

Lena stares back to Kara, who is looking frustrated at the woman who is now far in the distance, trying to get her dog before interrupting other couples who are on the verge of an emotional breakthrough.

\---

Kara doesn’t know what to do except stare into the distance, to the dog that stopped her from kissing Lena. Maybe this was another sign from the universe, a sign in lights, ‘stop trying to kiss her’. Before Kara could put too much weight on such an idea, she looks back towards Lena who is already holding out a hand to her, open and welcoming.

Kara takes it, unthinking.

They start walking back the way they came, slightly more awkward than before, as though they both know what was about to happen.

Then it dawns on her, as she processes what just happened. Lena must’ve heard, in some dream state Kara’s declaration of her feelings. The look in her eyes when Kara complimented her was more than just reluctant acceptance, it was like recognition. It made Kara’s palms sweat more than she would care to admit, and she hopes that Lena can’t tell.

Kara had very nearly repeated what she had said that night, as soon as Lena had asked her what she thought it was she dreamt, or rather, remembered. What would’ve happened if she had said it?

The possibilities flooded into Kara’s thoughts, unable to land on anything that didn’t involve something that made Kara’s stomach warm and her cheeks flush. 

Kara decided it would be best to just distract them both from the situation and the growing silence between them, “What’re you doing this evening? I’m thinking of inviting Alex around for a Harry Potter rewatch,”

Lena stopped once more, and Kara halted and looked at her concerned, “You okay? It- um, It doesn’t have to be Harry Potter, we could watch Lord of the Rings, if you want,” Lena just looks at Kara, “Or, or we could watch something you want to? I guess you don’t have to even watch anything with us, we can just watch something in my room,” Lena just kept looking at her, “but, you know, you can if you want,”

God, even when Lena was looking at her like she was crazy she was so beautiful, “Or we could wat-”

“Stop!” Lena said, slightly louder than Kara thought she would. Lena looks at her some more, Kara wishes she knew what the word for this look was, because she would need to be able to remember it, and how Lena was making her flush with this intense, unflinching look that made Kara’s skin crawl in the best way.

But then Lena didn’t say anything, Kara wondered if maybe she was waiting for Kara to apologise for rambling, “So-”

“Kiss me,” Lena practically demanded.

Kara knew her eyes widened like a comic book.

“Wha-”

“Kara, kiss me now,”

Impatient.

Before Kara could even process the question, the implications, the idea, Lena huffed impatiently, grabs Kara by the back of her neck and pushs their lips together. Kara had to lean down slightly, her boots were making her much taller than Lena.

Lena’s lips were warm on hers, but her nose was cold against Kara’s cheek.

It was nice, better than Kara had imagined.

Kara rests her hands on Lena’s hips, and pulls the girl flush to her, while Lena’s other cold hand kept her close on her neck.

Kara would rather suffocate than let go of Lena right now.

Lena seems to have other opinions of breathing, because she pulls away, smiles at Kara with her green eyes and red nose.

“Thank you,” Lena says, breathless and citrus.

Kara laughs, a little bit less controlled than she would’ve liked, “You- uh, You’re welcome,”

Lena laughs at her, it’s all Kara’s wanted.

\---

When they tell their friends, no one is surprised. Nia tells them that she thought that they were already dating.

\---

When they sleep together, they don’t sleep much, and neither mind.

\---

When Alex gives Lena the shovel talk, and Lena wouldn’t admit it, but it did kind of scare her.

\---

When Lena launches her explosion-delay addition to cars, Kara falls a bit more in love with her.

\---

When Kara tells Lena that she's in love with her, Lena doesn’t say it back but she does buy her a bunch of sunflowers, and takes her out to a dinner where the menu doesn’t have prices on it and Kara understands.

\---

When they have their first fight, it’s about how much Lena works, and neither of them want to go to sleep angry, so they stay up all night and apologise in a sleep deprived state, vowing to try harder.

\---

When Lena says ‘I love you’ they’re at the beach again but they’re on holiday in Greece, and it's summer. She says it after they get out of the sea, and Lena thinks Kara really might just be it.

\---

When Kara tells Lena that she’s been asked to write for The Californian Times, they celebrate in a few different ways.

\---

When Kara proposes, she does it quietly, in the morning when the light hits Lena in a way that makes her look like a goddess, who chose Kara for some reason.

\---

When they dance, Lena cries and Kara does too, then Alex laughs at them and Sam tells her off even though she’s laughing too.

\---

When they decide to move away from the city, it's because Lena wants to do something for herself, and now that L-Corp is being run by Sam (with occasional interferance from Lena), she can. Kara follows her because she can work wherever, and would follow Lena anywhere. 

\---

The house is a fixer-upper, not that they need to buy one like that, but Kara likes the area, and Lena wants a challenge.

\---

When they decide to have a baby, it just seems like the right time, and the right place, and the right person. Kara cracks a joke about having had enough practice at this point, and Lena explains why that doesn't quite make sense.  
\---

Lori has darker hair than her mom, and bluer eyes than her momma’s.

\---

Lena thinks they’ll be alright, and Kara tells her that they will.


End file.
